According to a news report from Nigerian Tribune, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) initiated the orientation and training of 1,850 unemployed graduates across the country under the 2024 Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS).

Speaking during the Kwara state edition of the event involving 50 beneficiaries in Ilorin, the state capital, the state coordinator of the NDE, Folashade Omobola Lanre-Ogun, who represented the director general of the agency, Mallam Abubakar Fikpo, said that the three months orientation/training programme, involving theory and practical sessions, aimed to eradicate poverty and encourage self-reliance.

The NDE boss, who said that the participants were drawn from the local governments and senatorial districts of the 36 states of the federation and FCT, added that the aim of the training scheme, among others, was to create employment for the rural communities through training on modern innovative agricultural technology (Exotic vegetable crops/livestock production skills) along its value chain, improve the livelihood of the rural people, reduce rural-urban migration and expose unemployed youths to the potential in exotic vegetable crops and livestock production farming businesses.

She enjoined the beneficiaries to see the gesture as a rare opportunity that should not be allowed to fail, saying that the training scheme would be able to empower beneficiaries in modern agricultural activities, “including off-farm activities and life skills to be able to overcome the challenges of your immediate environment.

“This training provides you with the opportunity to acquire knowledge required to set up your agribusinesses. You should, therefore, justify these efforts by putting in your best to succeed as agripreneurs.”

Also speaking, the deputy director, Rural Employment Promotion (REP) Department, Beatrice Oruoyehu, represented by Mrs. Tola Olaoye, said that the scheme is in line with Presidential priority areas I & Il of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, “which is to reform the economy to deliver sustained inclusive growth and boost agriculture to achieve food security.

“It is also in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) I, II and Vll (No poverty, Zero hunger and decent work and economic growth).

“The programme will create employment and generate wealth that will go a long way to reduce the number of unemployed persons in the country.

The REP department boss, who said that the training duration is three months split into two phases: two weeks of Experiential Training (Theory) in crop/livestock production along its value chain, added that there are also 10 weeks of practical field adaptive farm training at the NDE Agricultural Skills Training Center (ASTC) for state with ASTC alternative skills training centres.

“This gesture will go a long way in curbing unemployment in Nigeria, boost food production and achieve food security”, she said.

Some of the beneficiaries of the scheme, like Ibitoye Abiodun, who is involved in poultry business, described the scheme as capable of eradicating poverty and improving socioeconomic welfare, especially at the grassroots.