NDE empowers 100 Akwa Ibom youths in farming technology

A total of 100 youths in Akwa Ibom State have begun training in various aspects of modern agriculture under the Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS) of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).
The Director-General of NDE, Nadir Ladan Argungu, while addressing the participants in Uyo yesterday, said the training programme covers areas such as crop production and processing, livestock farming others.
Argungu, represented by the Akwa Ibom State Co-ordinator of NDE, Mr. Promise B. Ekah, disclosed that the participants would undergo one month theoretical class on modern techniques of agriculture and two months industrial attachment in reputable farms across the state.
The NDE boss noted that the drop in crude oil prices and its adverse effects on the economy has proven that Nigeria can no longer depend on earnings from oil.
He explained that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is committed to tackling youth/graduate unemployment, hunger and poverty through huge investments in agriculture.

”In a bid to awaken the interest of the unemployed youths in agriculture to exploit the tremendous opportunities for employment and wealth creation in the sector and consequently stem the rural-urban drift of the youths, the NDE designed a special training programme for youths in agriculture”, he said.
The DG enjoined beneficiaries to take the training seriously as well as avail themselves of the opportunity to be free from unemployment and lack.
Also speaking, a director in the federal ministry of agriculture, Dr. Uyiobong Uko, who stressed that agriculture was the solution to the country’s economic challenges urged participants to take to agriculture as a profitable venture as dependence on crude oil revenue was no longer in vogue.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Ifreke Aniefiok Jeremiah, thanked the NDE for the programme and promised to ensure that the knowledge and skills garnered from the training would be put to judicious use.
Source TodayNG