At least 50 youths in Bauchi State are currently undergoing the 3-month National Directorate of Employment (NDE) 2024 Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS).
Speaking at the flag-off of the training in Bauchi yesterday, the director-general, National Directorate of Employment, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, said 1,850 participants will benefit with the training across 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The director-general who was represented by the Bauchi State coordinator, Mallam Ali Lawan Yaya, said the SADTS training would create employment for the rural communities through training on modern innovative agricultural technology (exotic vegetable crops/livestock production skills) along its value chain.
According to him, the training would also improve the livelihood of the rural people, reduce rural-urban migration and expose unemployed youths to the potential in exotic vegetable crops and livestock production farming businesses.
Mallam Abubakar Nuhu added that the training would empower participants in modern agricultural activities including off-farm activities and life-skills as well as provide them with the opportunity to acquire knowledge required to set up agribusinesses.
He said that the agency would give each of the 50 participants in Bauchi N15,000 as transportation and facility of N50,000-N100,000 to the most dedicated among them.
Fikpo also reaffirmed that the NDE would continue to do its best in addressing the challenges of unemployment in the country.
Fikpo said, “The passionate commitment, kind support and guidance received from the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment/NDE supervising minister, Rt Hon (Barr) Nkiruka Onyejeocha made it possible for the NDE to promote Agriculture as a business and attract unemployed Nigerians into modern agriculture in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President.
“The directorate has been carrying out its responsibilities through sensitisation, counseling, de-radicalisation and reorienting the minds of unemployed youth to deemphasize the search for non-existent white collar jobs and embrace skills acquisition as a deliberate choice for self-reliance and effective contributor to the socio-economy of the nation.”
Aminu Isah who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries commended the NDE director-general for the opportunity, assured that they would take the gesture as a rare opportunity to them.
