By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
The Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, has called on the federal government to put appropriate measures in place to regulate the high cost of food items, and other farm produce in the country.
The NDE boss made the call in Osogbo the Osun State Capital while speaking through the NDE State Coordinator, Mr Julius Fakunle, at the commencement of a five-day training programme tagged: “Post Sustainable Agriculture Training Development Scheme ( POST SADTS 2022),” organised for 50 unemployed persons in the state, and 1850 participants nation wide.
According to Mallam Fikpo, the prevailing food crisis, high cost of living and poverty, could be better managed, if the federal government introduce measures that would prevent a situation that subject the prices of food items and sales of other farm produce to market forces.
He disclosed that the objectives of the NDE Sustainable Agriculture Training Development Scheme, among others, are to enhance food production, provide more profitable farm income, enhance quality of life for farm families, communities and provide mass employment
The NDE boss explained that under the current (Post SADTS) exercise, thousands of unemployed persons, who have passion for agric as an enterprise, are being offered the training opportunity, which include orientation on business start up, writing of feasibility study, marketing strategy, among others.
He commended the federal government for the initiative, which according to him will go a long way to create a new generation of wealthy farmers, especially, among unemployed youths.
Also speaking at the occasion, the NDE Director of Rural Employment ( REP) programme, Mr Edem Duke represented by Mrs Tola Olaoye, said the agriculture training is a serious business that is capable of moving the nation forward, reduce poverty, and engage the teeming youths to be self employed and self reliant.
He enjoined the participants to invest wisely any financial assistance they collect from NDE, either on agric processing, production, or marketing of agric produce, so that they will be able to repay the loan stimulus, as at when due, so that others can benefit.
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