IBADAN – The Country Manager, HarvestPlus Nigeria, Dr Paul Ilona, says the organisation has trained 300 National Youth Corps (NYSC) members on the benefits of vitamin A cassava production.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
Ilona told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Ibadan that the corps members were
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serving in Akinyele Local Government Area of Ibadan.
HarvestPlus is an international organisation that collaborates with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.
The organisation is currently leading a global effort to breed and disseminate micronutrient rich staple food crops to reduce hunger in rural areas.
The country manager said the corps members were sensitised on the opportunities that could be derived in vitamin A cassava production, its value and marketing.
He said this would help to make them self-employed rather than waiting for white collar jobs.
Ilona noted that his organisation intensified efforts to reach many Nigerians by engaging school leavers with a view to making them partners through sustainable entrepreneurship.
He said that HarvestPlus was committed to fighting hidden hunger by deploying bio-fortified staple crops and foods to vulnerable population.
Ilona urged the corps members to partner with the organisation to achieve its objective.
“Areas of active entrepreneurial engagement that corps members can invest in include vitamin A cassava stem multiplication and tuberous root production,” he said.
Ilona also advised them to make good use of such opportunities to improve their lot. (NAN)
