Food sufficiency: IRDC presents N12million to 20 Agripreneur graduands

.....40 new trainees set to resume -Chevron

By Rita Ossai


The Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC, on Thursday August 15, presented N12million business support grants to 20 Agripreneur graduands, trained in Cassava, Plantain and Aquaculture Production.

The 20 graduands, who underwent intensive training for about a year, received six hundred thousand naira (N600, 000.00) each, to enable them use Agriculture and agribusiness as means to generate income and provide employment for youths.



Chairman of IRDC, Amb. Austin Oniyesan in his address during the graduation ceremony, commended Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, PIND Foundation and members of his executive for making the pilot programme a huge success.



Amb. Oniyesan advised the graduands to reflect on the experiences garnered during the training, so as to make good use of the start-up grant.



The General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, PGPA, Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, in an address, explained that the Agripreneur Project, was specifically to empower youths, “in target RDCs to embrace agriculture and agribusiness as an income generating activity, provide opportunity for stimulating socioeconomic development in the selected communities, offering secondary benefits to the larger society as a whole”, as well as, “boost availability of agriculture produce for local community suppliers”.



Mr. Brikinn, who was represented by the Area Manager, PGPA, Field Operation, Warri, Mr. Sam Daibo, noted that CNL partnered IITA in the Agripreneur Project, “to stimulate socio economic development in the Regional Development Committees, RDCs, under the Global Memorandum of Understanding”.



While noting that opportunities for large scale employment of labour in the oil and gas industry is, “extremely limited”, he disclosed that another set of 40 persons are set to commence Agripreneurs’ training.



The Youth Consultant, IITA, Arome Alfa, stated that some of the graduands have already commenced agrobased production as a result of the training programme, adding that the Agripreneur initiative has the, “production, design into value addition and service provision”, stages.



Four of the graduands; Jemide Joseph, Austin Ikpi, Oris Ugbameta and Blessing Afini, briefly shared their knowledge in Plantain, Cassava and Fish Production as well as Plantain Micro Propagation.



Highpoint of the event was the presentation of certificate and cheques to the graduands by Chief Francis Omatseye, Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Dr. Michael Tidi, representative of Chairman of Warri North Local Government Area, CEO of Morgan Smart Development Foundation, Omawumi Urhobo, Mrs. Ogboru M.J of Delta State Ministry of Agriculture, who represented the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Mr. Sam Daibo.