7th August, 2017
The Jigawa office of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on Monday said it had selected 56 youths to benefit from its agribusiness training and loan in the state.
Malam Sa’idu Ali, the Coordinator, IFAD’s Agribusiness Support Programme in the state, revealed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.
Ali said that the programme would be executed under IFAD’s Climate Change Adaptation and Agro Business (CCAAB).
He stated that the beneficiaries of the programme tagged: ”N-Agriprenuership”, were selected from seven Local Government areas, namely Auyo, Buji, Dutse, Gwaram, Guri, Gwiwa and Taura.
The coordinator added that the beneficiaries comprised 44 males and 12 females.
He said that the male beneficiaries would be trained in spraying techniques, rice and wheat milling as well as agribusiness.
Ali added that the female ones would be trained in groundnut and vegetable grinding.
READ: Minister advocates ICT training for secondary school students
“The males will be trained in spraying techniques, threshing, rice milling, wheat milling, and some in agribusiness techniques.
“Those in agribusiness will embrace business; shops will be opened for them to be selling seeds, insecticides and pesticides to farmers in their villages.
“For those trained in spraying, sprayers, overall jackets, hand gloves and other preventive items, would be given to them to engage in commercial spraying in their communities.
“The females will receive their training in groundnut milling and vegetables grinding,” Ali said.
He said that after the training, sprayers, threshers, milling machines, grinding machines and other items would be given to the beneficiaries on loan.
The coordinator said that the gesture was to encourage youth engage in agricultural activities to enhance large-scale food production in the benefiting communities.
“The major aim of this training is to tackle unemployment and also reduce youth restiveness through the provision of functional skills.
“It is also to encourage women, particularly those in the rural areas, to engage in productive activities.
“The gesture will also develop small-scale businesses among women at the grassroots,” the coordinator added.