Ondo State Trains, Empowers 260 Women, Youths on Agriculture
To ensure massive food production and sufficiency, the Ondo State Government in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has trained and disbursed working capital to about 260 women and youths in the state.
The Deputy Governor of the state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, disclosed the development at the Graduation Ceremony of the trainees by IFAD’s Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Niger Delta (IFAD-LIFE-ND) Project on Thursday in Akure. Remarking, the deputy governor restated the government’s passion for the project noting that beneficiaries were trained on cocoa, cassava, fishery and poultry.
According to him, the programme aims to transform the rural economy by ensuring food security and job creation for rural youths and women adding that the Governor of the state, Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, has approved payment of the counterpart funds for the success of the initiative.
“The project’s overall goal is to transform the rural economy in which the rural population can derive prosperity and equal benefits. It will also enhance income, food security and job creation for rural youths and women through agribusiness enterprise development on a sustainable basis,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa, represented by his chief of staff, Segun Omojuwa, also noted that the government had taken measures to secure the state from the menace of herdsmen and bandits with the introduction of Amotekun to give the trainees a secured platform to operate.
On his part, the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Olatayo Aribo, said the programme would increase job opportunities, generate income, and ensure food security and foreign exchange earnings, both at local and international levels.
He said, “This is no doubt a unique ceremony in our state, where 260 trainees, comprising 123 females and 137 males, would graduate after receiving training in four major Agribusiness enterprises.”
Also, the IFAD coordinator in Ondo state, Olawale Ademola, stated that the organisation would continue to support agricultural development by empowering youths.
Meanwhile, the LIFE-ND project was sponsored by IFAD in partnership with Niger Delta Development Commission (NDCC).
Agro Nigeria
