Farm Lab initiative will prepare youths for agribusiness entrepreneurs – Synergos
Agribusiness
By Kudirat Musa
Abuja, May 30, 2018 (NAN) Synergos Nigeria, an agriculture transformation supporting group, has said that Farm Lab Initiative would give interested Nigerian youths between ages of 18 and 35 an opportunity to become agribusiness entrepreneurs at no cost.
The Country Director of Synergos, Mr Adewale Ajadi, made the disclosure in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Ajadi explained that the Youth Farm Lab is an initiative of Synergos through its project called State Partnerships for Agriculture (SPA), in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD).
”SPA and ministry were hosting an Agriculture Boot Camp on Livestock Farming, to give interested young Nigerians between ages 18 and 35 an opportunity to become Agribusiness entrepreneurs at no cost.
”The policy intervention in this project is about livestock production and entrepreneur education.
”Part of challenges of agriculture is how to get young people interested in agriculture, how do we show them that agriculture is viable employment and entrepreneur opportunity.
”Youth Farm Lab is designed to target youth in Ogun, Oyo and Lagos States,” he said.
He added that the programme targeted about 150 young people; it is a small programme designed for two months to train youth on goats, pigs and snails production on entrepreneur approach.
”There would be practical classes in Lagos, six weeks basic classroom, one week field work, two weeks internship; the goal is to let them understand what it takes to develop the ruminants.
”They would also acquire extra knowledge about what kind of thing they need in term of health care support for those kinds of breeding.
”To also develop the output for either employment or start-up of the business and to interact with people who are financiers, who might finance them and provide for them,” he said.
He said, ”We do not have fund to give but other programmes like Fadama and others can take up the programme and expand it, we are providing this for those that have finances to expand on it.”
Mrs Mosumola Umoru, Special Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the initiative was to encourage youths into agriculture.
She said that they were working closely with the entire faculty to support these young people.
According to her, the ministry is providing a linkage between Synergos and the youth, giving technical support, build farmers’ capacity and make agriculture attractive to the youth and women.
”The 50 candidates have been selected to participate in the first batch of this Agric. Innovation Lab. Project, same with the second and third batch to make it 150 candidates.
”We really want youths and women to fully involve in developing country agriculture because they have what it take to develop the sector and ready to work with any technology come their ways.” (NAN)
ROK/MOL/AFA
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Felix Ajide