Ondo govt partners FECA to train 18,000 youths in Agriculture

AS part of the effort to reduce unemployment in the state, Ondo state government in partnership with the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA) is to train about 18,000 youths across the state in poultry farming.

The state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, who disclosed this said the training programme tagged “Youths -on- the-Ridges” was initiated by his administration to train the youths in the best practices of agriculture in FECA.

According to him, the youths were selected from the 18 local government areas of the state said his administration is committed to taking the youth out of unemployment through agriculture.

Akeredolu said, “Our promise to create jobs, through agriculture, entrepreneurship and industrialisation, is anchored on realistic expectations.

” The state government is set to complete the process of engaging 18,000 youth, 1000 per local government in the state, under the programme, Youth-on-the-Ridges, these young men and women are to be trained in the best practices of agriculture.

“The only realistic alternative to white collar jobs in agriculture. Consequently, this administration has established the Ondo State Agribusiness Empowerment Centre (OSAEC) for the engagement of youth in the value chain of constructive and productive interventions in the sector.

Speaking on the programme, the Provost of the FECA, Dr, Samson Odedina said the training was very significant at the time when the country was diversifying from oil sector to boost the economy.

Odedina said, ” We have been training the youths every year through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture on egg production, people have been registering on our website. It is two-week training that could transform the lives of our youths.

” We are very happy the Ondo State is partnering us to train these young people in a very profitable agricultural value chain opportunity and the registration is throughout the year”