ECOWAS grants $77,942 to train 150 youths in FCT, Bauchi

Community Allied Farmers Association of Nigeria (COMAFAS) has commenced the training of 150 youth in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Bauchi State on fishery and poultry through an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) funded program.

ECOWAS had released a sum of $77,942 grant to COMAFAS to train 150 youth in the country on fishery and poultry for implementation of youth employment strategy in the agriculture and food sector in the sub-region.

In his address at the flag off of the training program in Kwa’ada Farms, Karshi, Abuja, the Founder and President of COMAFAS, Dr Austine Maduka the training is to educate young farmers on how best they can start and manage pen production initial stage through its gestation, and in a sustainable manner.

He said COMAFAS is a community-based agricultural organisation, owned and managed by Nigerians, established with the mandate to mobilise women, youth and all intending and practicing farmers, who have little or no idea of becoming self-reliant in agricultural business.

“The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has granted the sum of $77,942 to COMAFAS to train 150 youths in poultry and fishery farming in FCT and Bauchi State with 30 per cent female representation.

“As we gather to flag off this very important program, it means we have started a move for another set of entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunity to profit from ECOWAS grants and training to be offered by our chains of experts, at the end, find gainful and self-reliant employment,” Maduka said.

Maduka said their partnership with the Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development of the ECOWAS Commission will strengthen the moves towards ensuring availability of meat, diverse food and impart relevant skills to domesticate sustainable strategies toward poverty reduction for FCT residents.

“We are building the ultimate trade exchange for poultry farmers in Nigeria because from what we are structuring, farmers are able to mingle and transact with off-takers online. And, by so doing, the off-takers would be able to see who is producing where or what they have in stock at every point in time”, he added.

The ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs Massandje Toure-Litse who was represented by Mrs Fatmata Lucia, said COMAFAS will commence the training of 150 youth in poultry and fisheries as part of the ECOWAS regional strategy for youth employability in the agriculture and food sector.

She said the ECOWAS Commission in early 2023 released funds to 25 centers in the 15 ECOWAS countries through grant agreements to National Agriculture Research and Innovation Centres and Special Agricultural Training Centres for implementation of youth employment strategy in the agriculture and food sector. COMAFAS is one of the 25 centres funded in the region.

“The expected result of this grant is increased capacity of youth to engage in agriculture value chains and food by designing quality training modules and train 3032 youth (disaggregated as 30 per cent women and 70 per cent men) of ECOWAS community from the 25 centres nin the 15 countries.

“In Nigeria, through COMAFAS, the funds will go towards training 150 youth in poultry and fisheries. These two sub-sectors serve as the main driving force behind the region’s economy and development”, she added.

One of the beneficiaries of the program, John Elizabeth said she was given 50 birds and 3 bags of feed to start her business. Elizabeth said she was trained on how to feed the birds, to know the symptoms of when they are ill and the vaccine to administer.

 

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