The Abia Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises, Niger Delta, (LIFE-ND), has commenced the training of youths on agric-tech solutions in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] reports that 13 youths are engaged in the ongoing training programme aimed at boosting agricultural production.
The Founder and Chief Executive of IgHub, Mr Daniel Chinagozi, who received the LIFE-ND team at Aba on Friday, said that the programmme was targeted at solving challenges of sales currently experienced in the market.
He noted that the beneficiaries were being trained in different value chains of the state priority commodities like, poultry sales, seed bank, palm oil sales, palm education and land seed bank.
The IgHub Chief Executive said that other areas in which they were being trained included, land bank, online farm produce marketing, drone services and poultry marketing, among others.
Chinagozi stated that the youth would be trained to become agric-tech entrepreneurs.
He said that the participants would be equipped with skills in technology and knowledge to impact on different areas of agriculture, which had experienced challenges.
According to him, it is a challenge to us as a nation today, because we have not married technology with agriculture at the agricultural space.
He said that the 13 participants would provide core agric-tech solutions, generate their ideas through agric-tech skills as well as build their products within the 30-day challenge.
Chinagozi, who is a member of Afri-Lab Association of Hubs and Incubators, said that they would also learn how to pitch and sell their products using technology.
The Lead Trainer, Mr Theo Jethro, said that the beneficiaries had been working through the processes of business, as well as how to put up digital systems for their businesses.
Jethro, who is the Chief Technical Officer of the hub, said that the participants had also learnt digital marketing, copywriting, graphics designs and technology product for their businesses.
He assured that the beneficiaries would become tech-savvy and be able to support other agricultural enterpreneurs upon graduation from the centre.
A female participant, Miss Glory Chibuike, whose field of specialisation is oil palm sales, expressed gratitude to LIFE-ND, the state and the Federal Government for the opportunity to achieve her life-time dream.
“I’m passionate in acquiring agric-tech skills because I have seen the benefits of using technology to promote and market agro commodities,” she said.
NAN reports that LIFE-ND is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in collaboration with the Federal Government.