Ogun, Fadama train 5000 women, other on agric business skills

Rice

WorldStage Newsonline-- The Ogun State Government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, under the FADAMA 111 project have begun the training of 5000 women and youths in various aspects of agriculture to create jobs, income and boost production in the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo, who flagged off the Two-Week training for the first tranche of participants at the Eweje Farm Settlement in Odeda local government area of the state , on Thursday advised beneficiaries to avail themselves of the "windows of opportunities"  Governor Ibikunle Amosun  administration has initiated for economic recovery.

She said government has made access to land less cumbersome, subsidized fertilizers  to reduce cost and enhance yield for  profit optimization, explaining that national security was also dependent on food security.

According to her, the best 200 trainees with the best business plans would be given take-off grants by the state government.

She advised the participants drawn from the 20 Local Government Areas and the Local Council Development Areas  in the state to also look elsewhere for additional outlets for soft facilities.

The State Project Coordinator of FADAMA 111 in the State, Mr. Oluwafemi Akinsola, said the programme, tagged:" FADAMA GUYS: Graduate Unemployed Youths Scheme," was designed to replace the aging population of farmers in State.

He advised the participants to "integrate backwards," by consulting officials of the Ministry Of Agriculture, OGADEP and FADAMA in the course of their Agric-Preneuship for what he called optimization of the field.

He noted that the opportunity was unique and challenged the participants to prove their proficiencies in chosen areas to encourage the facilitators of the programme to do more.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Stephen Ipinniwa, in his remarks, called for prudent management of grants by participants, saying the success of entrepreneurial undertakings lie in fiscal discipline. 

Source: worldstage