Nigerian Government trains Agric Extension Workers in Anambra State

The Nigerian Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has begun the third batch of training extension workers in Anambra State, South-east Nigeria, on tools, methodologies and selected agricultural value chains.

The 3-day training programme holding at the Anambra state Agricultural Development Programme Conference Hall, Awka, the state capital, is being staged in collaboration with the National Agricultural Extension And Research.

Declaring the training with no fewer than 80 participants open, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Foster Ihejiofor, urged them to utilize knowledge acquired during the training to add value to the sector.

While encouraging them to disseminate information about the state government’s regenerative agricultural policy for healthy living, he stated the need to make the training a regular exercise as a veritable means of empowering rural farmers.

The Commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Barr. Samuel Ike, urged the extension workers to take the exercise seriously to enable farmers key into trending agricultural practices in line with the government’s commitment to fully develop the sector.

The Programme Manager, Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Mr. Jude Nwankwo, noted that the training was an indication of the government’s desire to invest in building human capacity to achieve the expected result in food production.

He then encouraged the trainees to justify the essence of the exercise by using their skills and knowledge to effect positive changes, especially at the grassroots.

One of the resource persons from the Federal Department of Agric Extension, Mr. Charles Ezendu, identified technical support services as a cardinal way of empowering extension workers to keep pace with modern methodologies.

He advised them to have passion for the job, show commitment, belong to farmer groups, deploy information and communication technology as well as precision agriculture for the sector’s transformation.

In a lecture on Snail Farming, Mr. Matthew Okafor, Zonal Manager, Agricultural Development Programme, Awka Zone, called on the people to show interest in Snail Farming for their economic sustainability.

The State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Anambra state, Mr. Arthur Mbuba, represented the Minister for Agriculture.