By Adeola Badru
IN its bid to enhance food security, the Federal Government, through the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Tuesday, commenced training of 100 unemployed Nigerians in livestock and vegetables.
The training was part of the Federal Government’s renewed efforts to revamp the country’s agricultural sector, under the NDE’ Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS).
Speaking at the flagg-off of the training scheme, held at Kosobo, in Oyo town, the state’s Coordinator, NDE, Oyo State, Mrs Olayinka Olayemi, said the initiative was aimed at encouraging unemployed Nigerians to take up agriculture as a means of livelihood.
Olayemi hinted the initiative would, thereby create more jobs, ensure food security and enhance wealth creation in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the national coordinator, Mrs Oluwatoyin Aiyelagbe, the Head of Small Scale Enterprise Department, NDE, said the scheme, “under the able leadership of the NDE Director-General, Dr Nasiru Ladan Argungu, has been successfully implemented in Oyo State due to the collaborative supports of the various stakeholders such as Federal, State and Local Government, as well as philanthropists, seasoned experts, NGOs, Banks, among others.
In his remark, the Director, Rural Employment Promotion, from NDE headquarters Abuja, Dr. Michael Mbata, who was represented by Mrs Beatrice Oruoyehu, said SADTS was designed to ensure that agricultural production and distribution systems provide more revenue from the farm produce, a better environment and improved quality of life for farmers.
The director urged the beneficiaries to fully engage the trainers/resource persons, in the area of exchanging ideas so as to get well equipped with unquantifiable knowledge, which he said, was vital in the value chain as well as addressing the impact of Covid-19 and the rising unemployment rate in the country headlong.
Similarly, Mr Kabir Adedoja, the NDE Oyo, Head of Rural Employment Promotion Department, made it known that the 100 trainees were drawn from the three (3) Senatorial Districts of the state.
Adedoja said the training which is three months duration, would take place at the Agricultural Skills Acquisition Training Centre (ASTC), Onsa village near Oyo town, adding that stipends would be paid to the beneficiaries at the end of the training while certificates would be awarded to successful participants.
He advised the trainees to seize the opportunity of the scheme to acquire necessary agricultural skills which would be provided free by the Federal Government through the NDE.
He further explained that the training would consist of Agric business tutorial/practical demonstration in vegetable and livestock production.
In his goodwill message, the Secretary of Oyo East Local Government Council, Alhaji Mumini Owolabi, thanked the NDE for bringing the scheme to the Local Government and promised to give the beneficiaries the much-needed support.
