The Federal Government on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to achieving food security through its agribusiness programmes.
The National Project Coordinator, Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase One, (ATASP-1), Alhaji Ibrahim Arabi, gave the assurance while addressing trainees of a two-week incubation programme in Kano.
Arabi explained that the programme was organised by ATASP-1, funded by African Development Bank (AfDB) and supported by Abomax, a firm that provides services in agribusiness and others.
The coordinator, represented by Adekunle Alege, National Agribusiness Specialist, ATASP-1, said the strategy was to promote the growth of self-reliant small-scale business model among incubators.
He said that 50 youths from Kano and Jigawa states would be trained in agribusiness incubation along the value chains of rice, cassava and sorghum.
According to him, the beneficiaries who compromise 30 males and 20 females were selected from zone 3, which compromises Kano and Jigawa states.
He said that the programme’s core mandate crops included rice, cassava and sorghum, adding that the training was to re-orientate the youth to embrace agriculture.
The coordinator added that the federal government unveiled the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) to attract private sector investment in agriculture and reduce post-harvest losses.
He said the beneficiaries would acquire capacity in production and processing as well as to increase their income generation and reduce unemployment in the country.
According to him , the programme will deliver three mandate value chains of cassava, sorghum and rice across the four zones of Adani-Omor, Bida Badeggi, Kano – Jigawa and Kebbi – Sokoto.
Arabi explained that the programme was in consonant with President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of state of emergency on food security.
The ATASP boss said that food security was the collective responsibility of all Nigerians.
Also, the Zonal Programme Coordinator, ATASP-1, Auwalu Shehu, said that the youth would undergo two weeks training on becoming entrepreneurs.
Shehu, represented by the Zonal Gender Specialist, Adamu Isa, said there are endless opportunities in modern agriculture for youths who are committed.
He appealed to the trainees to make good use of the opportunity, saying it would help them be employers of labour.
Ms Heather Akanni, Project Manager, ABOMAX Youth in Agribusiness Incubation, said the programme was aimed at contributing to food security through improved and gender friendly technology.
She said the strategy was to catch youths and get them involved in agriculture with the hope of monitoring and linking them with relevant institutions and organisations in scaling up food production.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the event lauded the federal government’s gesture and promised to be more committed to agribusiness.(NAN)
