The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), on Thursday, trained no fewer than 30 Agricultural Extension Agents in Edo State ahead of the 2021 farming season.
The four-day training programme, which started, on Monday, March 8, ended on Thursday.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the programme in Benin, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, said the training became necessary in other to expose and equip the agents with the best global agricultural practices.
The minister who was represented by the State Director of Agriculture, Wellington Omoragbon, said the training would build the capacity of youth and existing practitioners in the agricultural extension delivery system.
“This training is the first in a series of batches that will empower you with the knowledge that will enhance service delivery to farmers both in terms of production practices and equipment for technical support.
“Over the years, the fortunes of the agricultural extension system has declined majorly, due to decreased funding, policy changes, reduced manpower and lack of interest in agricultural entrepreneurship.
“This situation has affected food production exposing the country to danger of unemployment, youth restiveness and economic instability,” Nanono said.
“So this training is one of several strategies planned by the ministry to halt the drift in the agricultural extension system with the aim of pursuing the revitalisation agenda of the economy by the federal government,” he added.
The Minister hints that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration desired to see that agricultural extension delivery system measured up to global competitiveness.
“To ensure we have adequate food for our population and some to argument foreign earnings,” Nanono added.
The Permanent Secretary, Mr Ernest Umakhihe, who was also represented by the Deputy Director, Extension Service, Mr Adekule Okunlaya, urged the participants to take advantage of training to improve the agricultural sector.
Umakhihe noted that the training was being held in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“The drive by the present administration to revitalise agricultural extension services is to help farmers and value chain actors improve the livelihoods of rural populations,” he added.
Earlier, the Programme Manager of Edo Agricultural Development Project, ADP, Mr Peter Aikhuomobhogbe, thanked FMARD for assisting to impact knowledge in the state’s extension agents.
“Even though this training is going on in the 36 states of the federation including the FCT, Edo is unique because we have been given inputs to support the training,” he said.
According to Aikhuomobhogbe, the Edo ADP work plan for 2021 is to boost food production by 30 per cent, and as such, would need the training to achieve the target.
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