Empowerment: National Directorate of Employment Flags Off Modern Agricultural Training For Imo Farmers

ThankGod Emeh

The National Directorate of Employment, NDE Imo state office through the National secretariat on Thursday April 25, 2024 flagged off Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS) for Fifty farmers in the state.

According to NDE Imo state, the fifty farmers captured across the 27 local government areas of Imo are not only trained on the 21st Century Agricultural best practices to enable them stand out in production but empowered with requisite skills and modern agricultural to eliminate unemployment in society as well as earning handsomely from the venture.

Delivering his keynote address to the participants (Imo farmers) at the training, the Director General of National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo represented by Imo State Coordinator, Mrs Theresa Nwachukwu said the training flagged off simultaneously across the 36 states and FCT for 1850 farmwrs was aimed at promoting Agriculture as a business and to attract unemployed Nigerians into modern agriculture in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in creating mass job opportunities to Nigerians.

Mallam Abubakar emphasized that the training areas covers agricultural value chain such as production, storage, Post-harvest handling & management, processing,
preservation, packaging, marketing, agricultural extension, rural sociology and off-farm activities as well as other innovative and modern technological driven skills
in the agricultural sector.

Imo state Coordinator of National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Theresa Nwachukwu

The NDE DG however expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Labour and Employment/NDE Supervising Minister Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejecha among other collaborators, Devopment partners, State Government, National Assembly personnel and stakeholders for their support throughout the training while charging the participants to “deemphasize the search for non-existent white collar jobs and embrace skills acquisition as a deliberate choice for self reliance and effective contributor into the socio economy of the nation”

In her speech, the State Coordinator of NDE, Imo state, Mrs Theresa Nwachukwu said the training was informed by the zeal of the Directorate to fight unemployment to a standstill by meaningfully engaging citizens in modern and sustainable agricultural practices adding that the participants have shown commitments in the training right from the application stage.

Imo NDE State Coordinator

Speaking also, the Deputy Director Rural Employment Promotion
(REP) Department, Beatrice Oruoyehu who was represented by the Head of Department REP Imo State, Mrs Uzoamaka Onyeachu at the Occasion expressed delight in the programme and dedication of the participants to get it right on the scheme, noting that “the practical trainings outlined for one thousand eight hundred & fifty (1850) youths and women are geared towards
agricultural production and distribution system which helps to provide more protitable farm income, promote environmental stewardship and enhance quality of
life for farm families and their communities”

Head of Department REP Imo State, Mrs Uzoamaka Onyeachu

Director Beatrice noted that the scheme is in line with Presidential priority areas which is to reform the economy to deliver all inclusive growth and boost agriculture to
achieve food security in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) of ensuring No poverty, Zero hunger and decent work & economic growth.

She highlighted that the training duration is three (3) months and is split into two phases which include Experientíal Training (Theory) that will last for two (2) weeks in crop/livestock production along its value chain; Practical Field adaptive farm training which will be for ten (10) weeks at the NDE Agricultural Skills Training Center (ASTC) for state with ASTC or at alternative skills training centers.

State Coordinator National Productivity Centre (NPC) Imo state, Joyce Oritsematosan Binitie stressed the need for farmers to embrace Agricultural innovations and continuously improve on their knowledge and trainings to be at par with International colleagues.

Coordinator National Productivity Centre (NPC) Imo state, Joyce Oritsematosan Binitie

She charged them to make their product’s quality a priority and as well be efficient in the use of their Resources while being effective in all their workings.

The NPC Coordinator charged them to be motivated by changes in the agricultural sector so as flow with the changes to make resounding change in the sector.

The Cooperative Desk Officer, HOU Job Centre, Imo state, Ananaba Chukwuka while speaking on the basis, and importance of Cooperative society, tasked the farmers to put heads together, pull in their Resources and form a formidable Cooperative society to complement the process.

He noted that the formation of the a Cooperative society makes them a family of partners in progress and as well stamps their access to Government funds to carry out their collective and individual projects hence the need to take the processes seriously.

In a vote of thanks at the end of the flag-off ceremony, Mr Kelechi Ugorji, alongside other participants thanked the the Officials, Resource persons and staff of NDE for their vision, training and support for farmers, assuring that they will make use of the opportunities at their disposal to change the old narratives of agricultural practices.

The highlight of the event was the photoshoot session and practical demonstration of sustainable tools for modern agriculture to participants.