No fewer than 43 participants from Sagbama Local Government Area, Bayelsa West senatorial district in Bayelsa State were trained at the one-day Agricultural Trade Fair organised last week by the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) in collaboration with the Network Associates Ltd.
The one-day programme which was sponsored by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was aimed at empowering and encouraging the participants to always promote their farm produce beyond their immediate community.
Speaking at the event held in Sagbama town, Executive Director, ARMTI, Dr Olufemi Oladunni, said the programme was designed to boost the youth in Sagbama Local Government Area, Bayelsa West senatorial district of Bayelsa State in agriculture.
Lesson for Senator Bukola Saraki
Oladunni pointed out that the trade fair had the capability to impart useful knowledge into the participants that would engender self-sufficiency and independence in their community.
Also speaking, Lead consultant, Network Associates Ltd, Dr Olusola Ogunjirin, said the programme was borne out of dire need of the government’s desire to equip citizens of Sagbama Local Government area with relevant skills in packaging and marketing of their farm produce, which was needed to improve their means of livelihood.
The trade fair, which commenced last Friday, included exhibition of farm produce such as plantain, palm oil, snail and fish.In his remarks, community youths leader, Mr Amboro Ebido-Owei Enoch, acknowledged the tremendous impact of the trade fair as he commended the organisers for a job well-done.
Enoch expressed confidence that the participants would gain a lot in terms of knowledge acquisition that would enable them to overcome emerging challenges in packaging and marketing of farm produce, as he urged the authorities to always come up with more of such empowerment programme.