ENUGU GOVT, FG PLEDGE COMMITMENT TO NURTURE YOUNG MILLIONAIRE FARMERS
REPORTER: CHRISTIAN NWANGENE
The Enugu State Government has pledged its commitment to partner the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase-1 (ATASP-1) and other donor funded agencies towards empowering youths to drive the economic transformation of the state and the country through agriculture.
Gov. Peter Mbah made the declaration in Enugu in a message to the opening ceremony of the Youth in Agribusiness Incubation Training organized by ATASP-1 in collaboration with Abomax, an Agribusiness service firm.
The Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase One (ATASP-1) is a Programme of Federal Government of Nigeria funded by African Development Bank (AfDB).
The Programme is being implemented in four Staple Crops Processing Zones (SCPZS) and in seven States.
A total of 50 youths drawn from eight local governments in Anambra and Enugu, ATASP-1 Adani-Omor Zone coverage area are participating in the 10-day incubation programme.
The Governor, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialization, Mr. Patrick Ubru, restated his vision to raise Enugu state’s GDP to $30 billion from $4.4 billion by 2031 through agricultural transformation and innovation.
According to the Commissioner, there are endless opportunities in modern agriculture for youths that have the energy and drive; and that all the value-chains, including digital agricultural marketing are open for interested youths.
He told the participants: “As you are already aware of Enugu State Government’s core vision is to grow the state’s GDP from $4.4 billion to $30 billion by 2031.”
Ubru reassured the participants of the state government’s commitment to invest in training and empowering youths to become successful in modern agriculture, stressing that “no country develops without sustainably huge investments in agriculture.”
The National Programme Coordinator ATASP-1, Dr. Ibrahim Arabi, informed participants that the Federal Government launched ATASP-1 to attract private sector investment in agriculture and ensure food and nutritional sufficiency.
Arabi, represented by ATASP-1 National Agribusiness Specialist, Dr. Kunle Alege, said: “The ATASP-1 is also transformimg agricultural landscape through reduction in post-harvest losses, value addition to local agricultural produce, development of rural infrastructure and enhance access of farmers and other value chain actors to financial services and markets.”
He explained that “the objective is to Enhance Food and Nutrition Security, Poverty Alleviation, Employment Generation, Wealth Creation, Rural Access and Accessibility and facilitation of financial services and Markets for the benefiting communities of the Programme.”
Arabi said that the project had developed strategies that would attract, train and retain the youth in the agribusiness sector, adding that the youth would be provided with on-the-job training and mentoring to improve their practical skills and knowledge in agribusiness.
Earlier, the Zonal Programme Coordinator ATASP-1 Adani-Omor Zone, Dr. Romanus Egba, lauded the support and smooth working relationship between Enugu State Government and ATASP-1.
Egba said: “I commend the agriculture-loving Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for paying a huge backlog of 7-year arrears of ATASP-1 counterpart fund at once. This shows the outright commitment and seriousness of the government towards agriculture.
“I want everybody here to continue to pray and support the governor and our amiable commissioner for more resources to be made available and for these training to continue for thousands of youths across the state.”
Egba, further assured the incubatees that those that performed exceptionally during the training and develop a good business plan/proposal would get seed fund as a start-up grant and that ATASP-1 would link the incubatees with lawmakers, other top political office-holders and organizations willing to support youth agribusinesses.
One of the incubatees, Miss Amarachi Ezemaduekwe, thanked ATASP-1 for providing them the opportunity for such intensive training and promised to apply the knowledge gained in her agribusiness.
“I am grateful to all, especially ATASP-1 that made the training possible,” she said.
Another incubatees, Mr. Kingsley Chukwuebuka Orie, the class governor said that the training had made a huge impact in his life as he would be going back to be more committed to Agribusiness as he had been fired up to also become employer of labour.
Among the dignitaries that attended the event were the Permanent Secretary, Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Industrialization, Mr. Victor Ngwu; the State Director Enugu State Agriculture Development Programme, ENADEP, Prof. Samuel Onyishi; and the Project Manager, Abomax Youth in Agribusiness, Mrs. Heather-Ronke Akanni.
Others were Chief Emmanuel Ude, Zonal Outreach Specialist, ATASP-1 Adani-Omor Zone; and Chinelo Obiefune, Zonal Agribusiness Specialist, ATASP-1.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
