The Federal Government has restated its commitment to food security in the country through its agricultural extension programmes.
The Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mallam Abubakar Nuhu-Fikpo, disclosed this during the official flag-off of the Federal Government’s “Agricultural Extension Scheme“ training in Owerri on Wednesday.
Nuhu-Fikpo, represented by the NDE Coordinator in Imo, Mrs. Ngozi Ihenacho, said the five-day training was captured under the directorate’s Department of Rural Employment Promotion (REP).
He said under the scheme, 600 graduates would be trained across the country, drawing 100 participants from two states in each geo-political zone.
He described agricultural extension services as part of activities in the agricultural value-chain with a high potential for youth employment and which also boosts agricultural productivity and ensures food security.
“This scheme will improve farming methods as a way of increasing food production so as to stimulate the rural economy, reduce rural-urban migration of tertiary school graduates and generate employment for trained agricultural extension personnel.
“I urge the participants to take the lectures and training seriously so that they can eventually become employers of labor in their various communities”, he said.
Speaking, the Director of the REP Department, Mr. Michael Mbata, called on beneficiaries to treasure the opportunity as a guarantee for food security.
Mbata, represented by senior staff of the department, Mr. Chimaobi Eleleme, added that the training would provide beneficiaries with viable skills to take care of themselves and the larger society.
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“Agricultural extension promotes agriculture as an engine of economic growth and there is no better opportunity to learn viable skills in this aspect of agriculture than this one that is free”, he said.
In a vote of thanks, Head of the REP Department in Imo, Mr. Chisara Egwim, said the department would continue to carry out the Federal Government’s food security agenda through training in various agriculture-based skills.
She urged the beneficiaries to justify the resources expended on the training by helping to train other people in rural communities.
One of the participants, Mr Chile Iheme from Mbaitoli Local Government Area of the state, expressed appreciation for the opportunity and pledged to impart the skills to others at the end of the training.
