FUNAAB’s AMREC extends skill acquisition to farm families, out-of-school youths

THE Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre (AMREC) of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, (FUNAAB) has extended skill acquisition to farming families and out-of-school youths in Alagbede community and its environs in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The training workshop, under the programme, tagged: ‘Gender Issues and Youth Development’ (GIYD) was targeted toward empowering primary school students and the general populace of the community.

Delivering his welcome address at the training, the vice-chancellor of FUNAAB, Professor Kolawole Salako, represented by the director, AMREC, Professor Olalekan Olaoye, stated that the programme was organised to empower the youths and farm families of the community.

He stressed that the farm families had been noted to have potential necessary for national development due to the major role they play in food production and processing. He said their potential could be improved if the economic/financial constraints associated with their household livelihood activities were addressed.

Professor Salako affirmed that involvement in various skill acquisition, especially during the off-season, could reduce the poverty level in the agrarian communities.

He observed that the acquisition of various skills in form of vocations such as knitting (production of sweater, children stocking, cap among others), liquid and bar soap production, soyamilk, zobo and Kunnu drink production as well as coconut oil production by an individual could lead to increase in household income and self-reliance.

He further said that the constraints facing farmers could be reduced through informal education which according to him “involves equipping individuals with entrepreneurial knowledge and skills that will make them contribute meaningfully to self-improvement as well as ensuring the development of their particular households and the entire nation in general.”

The VC noted that to reduce hunger and poverty among farm-families and guarantee higher income and better livelihood conditions for the poor farmers, who practice small-scale agriculture, such capacity-building workshops are essential to them.

He further stated that Gender Issues and Youth Development Programme (GIYD) recognised the fact that today’s young children and youths are the leaders of tomorrow regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds and educational levels.

Meanwhile, Dr Olubukola Idowu and Dr Oluwatosin Adeyeye conducted training on introduction to Chemicals and Production Procedure.

Appreciating the university, a representative of the farmers, Mrs Hannah Adejola commended the management of the university and AMREC for giving them such a great opportunity.

Participants including pupils of Odeda Primary School, Alagbede also benefited on how to make liquid soap and at the end of the training, the liquid soap was distributed to the participants.