Agric institute trains 500 graduates as next agro-millionaires – official


 The Federal College of Agriculture in Akure (FECA) in partnership with Federal Government is training over 500 unemployed graduates across 16 states to serve as mentors  to future generation of farmers.
The Provost of the college, Dr Samson Odedina, disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the five-day vocational training in modern agriculture at the college premises in Akure.
He said those being trained  would define  the future of agriculture in the country.
Odedina  said that the college would subsequently provide post training linkages to ensure that the  trainees remained in profitable agribusinesses.
“This present training is being held in tandem with our mandate to support government’s interest and investment in agriculture which centre on job creation and employment for young people.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria is the sponsor of this training, as approved in our 2016 capital project, with the aim of training of unemployed graduates on profitable agricultural value chain job opportunities,” he said
The provost said that  profitable agro-ventures would be used  as smooth vehicle for the project.
Odedina assured the trainees that they “have taken the first step to wealth and prosperity by seeking training that is key to best practice, cost reduction, increased efficiency and profitability which will eventually make you the next agro-millionaires.”
He said that the increasing demand for agricultural products and services in the society had  widen the prospects in the sector and urging them to “take the training and fill the gap”.
The Provost lauded the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) as well as other national and international partners for their support.
He also  commended  the over 5000 regular National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) students for demonstrating profitability in agriculture and value chain projects while in school.
“They chose a proven value chain opportunities: production, processing, marketing and value chain, etc, and make profit as criterion for graduation.
“The initiative is so successful that our students are already successful farmers while in school and there is also less likelihood that they will abandon agriculture,” he said.
The Chairman of the occasion and member representing Akure South/North Federal Constituency, Hon. Afe Olowokere, said the scheme was a laudable one for the unemployed graduates, especially now that the nation was battling recession.
Olowokere urged the trainees to adequately utilise the opportunities for their personal gains and the development of the nation.

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