Food Security: NDE engages 50 Ebonyians on sustainable agricultural development scheme

BY JOEL ONUOHA

AS part of effort to curb unemployment across states of the Federation, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has engaged 50 persons in Ebonyi State in its 2021 Post Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS).

Mr Abubakar Fikpo, Director General of NDE, who flagged of the programme on Wednesday in Amaike Ezzamgbo, Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi, said the essence of the scheme was also part of efforts to achieve food security.

Fikpo represented by Ebonyi State Coordinator, Mr Marcel Igboanude, said the Post-SADTS was to empower the beneficialries to establish, grow and expand agric-enterprises of their choice on a sustainable basis.

According to him, SADTS is a modern approach used by the NDE to drive agricultural sector employment programme in the country. 

"Over the years, Rural Employment Promotion (REPO) through modern agricultural and farm skills acquisition training had been deployed by the agency as its core programmes of generating employment opportunity for unemployed youths in the country.

"On the 2021 SADTS scheme, the beneficiaries will be rained on the following: livestock, the use of agrochemical practices and other agricultural inputs such as chemical sprayers, herbicides amongest others.,

"They will also train on income generating opportunity in post-harvest handling of agricultural products; digital marketing of products, sources of grants and loans for agribusiness," Fikpo said. 

Mr Michael Mbata, Director of REPO, Abuja, represented by an Officer from his office, Mr Chimaobi Eleleme, said the agency was making effort to ensure participants get loan and be empowerment to actualise goal of the scheme. 

Mbata urged the participants to take the training serious and support the federal goveenment police on Sustainable agriculture.

"Agriculture is a lucrative business and it has the capability of making one rich and fame. I urge you to be focused and make good use of the scheme," he advised.

Ifeanyi Aniekwe, a Participant thanked the Directorate on behalf of his counterparts and appealed for adequate post-training arrangements to enable them put the knowledge of the training to practical user.