NDE Commences training for 100 beneficiaries of Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS) in Ebonyi.

By Mbam Ogodo, Abakaliki
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The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Ebonyi state has commenced training for 100 beneficiaries of 2021 Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS) with assurance to make takeoff funds available for them.

Acting Director -General of NDE, Malam Abubakar Nuhu -Fikpo who was represented at the flag off by the state Coordinator Mr. Igboanude Marcel at 135 Ezzamgbo Ohaukwu local government area of the state said the Directorate will expose the selected 100 youths and women to self-reliant agricultural skills.

He noted that the three months training was to enable the beneficiaries to get modern agricultural knowledge, adding that at the end, the beneficiaries will set up big farms to ensure provision of food, meat, create employment, boost economy of the state among others.

According to him, the participants were selected from the 13 local government areas of the state to guarantee food sufficiency among other benefits.

"The sustainable agricultural development training scheme is one of the job creation schemes used by NDE to train unemployed youths in modern agricultural production, processing and other agribusiness activities to enhance the food security programme of the federal government, generate employment opportunities and reduce the rural- urban migration in the country.

"The training comprises of tutorial/ experiential and practical/adaptive exposures. The three months training scheme will cover such topical areas as arable crops production, fishery, poultry, piggery, apiculture, small ruminants production and agro services.

"At the end of the training period, the trainers are expected to form agricultural cooperatives which will enable them to access necessary linkages and financial support to establish modern farms to enhance food production and employment generation”, he said.

The State Commissioner for Agricultural and Natural Resources Chief Moses Nomeh opined that with the current realities in Nigeria, the nation and citizens will find it difficult to exist profitably without venturing into farming.

He explained that even God himself acknowledged the importance of farming by putting first human in the farm garden of Eden after creation and charged the participants not to feel too big to venture into farming as according to him, the benefits are enorumous.

He disclosed that past governors of Ebonyi state Chief Martin Elechi , Senator Sam Egwu and past president of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo are all farmers.

"My annual basic agricultural income as a farmer is 20 million naira .I urge you not to feel too big to venture into farming. Our former governors His Excellencies chief Martin Elechi, Dr Sam Egwu and even ex Nigeria president Olusegun Obasanjo are farmers. Salary earners are servicing poverty, to be a civil servant is to be a slave.

“Last year alone I harvested 20 metric tones of rice. When people in other sectors increase prices of their commodities and services, I will increase prices of my farm products too. I don't pray to be civil servant, I told them government can't be able to pay me.

“Even if I leave office as commissioner, I will not go for civil service, because government will not be able to pay me. So if you want to make it big listen attentively to the resource persons, grab the full knowledge and upgrade yourselves. I started my farming business with fifteen thousand naira (N15, 000.00) only, you too can make it”, he told the beneficiaries.