Nigeria: Group trains families, youths on farming

By Omotayo Edubi

The Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre (AMREC) of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, (FUNAAB) has lengthened its skill acquisition to farm families and out-of-school youths in Alagbede community and its enviro s in Odeda Local Government Area (LGA) of Ogun State.

The training which commenced on Wednesday, 23rd February, under the programme, tagged: “Gender Issues and Youth Development” (GIYD), was targeted towards empowering primary school pupils and other members of the community.

In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kolawole Salako, represented by the Director, AMREC, Prof. Olalekan Olaoye said the programme was organised to empower youths and farm families of the community.

He said farm families had been noted to have potential that are necessary for national development because of their major role in food production and processing, stating that their potential could be improved if the economic/financial constraints they faced were addressed.

The VC noted that acquisition of various skills to survive the off-season could reduce poverty in agrarian communities; especially learning skills like knitting (production of sweater, children stocking, cap), liquid and bar soap production, soymilk, zobo and kunnu drink production as well as coconut oil production could increase household income and self-reliance.

He added that the constraints facing farmers could be reduced through entrepreneurship education.

During the training, Dr. Olubukola Idowu and Dr. Oluwatosin Adeyeye conducted training on introduction to Chemicals and production procedure. Participants, including pupils of Odeda Primary School, Alagbede, also benefited from how to make liquid soap.

Appreciating the University, a representative of the farmers, Mrs. Hannah Adejola thanked the institution for the opportunity. She added that the training gave them ideas on how to kill fish but not giving them fish. At the end of the training, liquid soap produced was distributed to the participants.