IFAD targets 4000 youths for agribusiness empowerment
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) under its Climate Change Adaptation and Agribusiness Support Programme (CASP) has designed an empowerment scheme to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to generate direct employment for over 4,000 women and youths for agribusiness.
This was disclosed by IFAD National Programme Coordinator, Alhaji Muhammad Lawal Idah, at the opening ceremony of a 5-day training of 159 youths on inputs supply, spraying and animal traction held in Kano.
Represented by IFAD Agribusiness Specialist, Mr, Achem Bello Ali, the coordinator stated that 388 youths were trained in 2017 on general entrepreneurship, agribusiness management and preparation of business plan.
He added that this is the second training conducted in collaboration with Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) from which 159 youths from Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, Borno, Kebbi and Sokoto benefited.
According to him, each of the agripreneurs would be supported with starter packs to run their individual enterprises.
Speaking to the participants, the SAA representative at the event, Dr. Abdulhameed Gambo, stated that the training was to provide skills, increase the availability and access to improved agricultural inputs, and increase agricultural productivity among others.
He added that SAA, as a service provider, has made arrangement to link up the young agripreneurs to competent ago dealers for appropriate products and advice.