Water Resources ministry, LNRBDA train graduate farmers on agribusiness
FIFTY unemployed graduates have completed their training programme on various ventures of agribusiness aimed at enhancing empowerment, self reliance and food security in the country.
The three-day intensive training programme, themed, Graduate Youth Empowerment Scheme, organised by the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Ilorin, Kwara State, in collaboration with Synergy Impact Consultants Limited, took the participants through agribusiness ventures, irrigation farming, fishery, poultry production and marketing.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the programme and presentation of certificates, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev said the Renewed Hope agenda of the government of President Bola Tinubu is determined to fulfill its promise to Nigerians to work on food security, improve the nation’s economy, health and security.
Professor Utsev also said the ministry is poised to help in the policy thrust of the present administration, saying that, “without water, there’s no life.
“The present government with his renewed hope agenda promised Nigerians to work on food security, the nation’s economy, health and security. As a ministry we’re working to provide potable water for drinking, sanitation and for irrigation.
“Water for irrigation would be used for production of food that would enhance food security. With food security, there would be food on the table of Nigerians, revenue generation for government and employment opportunities for youth.
“As we see today, youth are being empowered to see how they can go into agric ventures and other activities that would empower them to enhance the nation’s economy”.
The minister, thus, advised the beneficiaries to put the materials and knowledge garnered, as well as token given to them as starter pack, into good use, “so that together we can support Mr President in his drive to help good people of Nigeria”.
Professor Utsev, who said that purpose of his visit to the agency was to have on-the-sight assessment of both ongoing and completed projects, as well as programmes and challenges, added that the visit enabled his team to look into how to operate facilities on ground to maximum utilisation.
Speaking earlier during the opening ceremony, the managing director of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Dr. Adeniyi Saheed Aremu, represented by director, Agric Services, Dr. Muftau Moronfoye had, said that the programme was part of the initiative of Mr. President to ensure food security for the citizenry and engage the youth actively.
Dr Aremu said the programme, which started in 2016, had succeeded in empowering past participants to stand on their own and make good living out of the training in poultry, livestock, crop farming etc.
