NDE launches 2021 sustainable agricultural development training in Imo

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has launched its 2021 sustainable agricultural development training scheme in Imo.
The Acting Director General of the Directorate, Mallam Abubakar Fikpo, performed the launch in Owerri, on Tuesday.
Fikpo, represented by the NDE coordinator in Imo, Mrs Ngozi Iheanacho, thanked the federal government for its youth friendly initiatives.
He also thanked the NDE in Imo for a transparent selection of 100 beneficiaries of the scheme, while pledging to work together with the state government to achieve the desired results.
“Today’s programme marks a significant milestone in the history of Rural Employment Promotion (REP) schemes designed to reflect emerging trends to grow rural employment through agribusiness engagements.
“This programme is in line with Federal Government’s policy on agriculture for employment, wealth creation and food sufficiency, and we will work together with the state government for best results,”Fikpo said.
He, however, admonished the participants to take the three-month-long training seriously, as well as avail themselves of other opportunities offered by their participation in NDE activities.
Also speaking, Director of the REP scheme department, Mr Michael Mbata, said that the first two weeks of the programme would focus on theoretical training, while the remaining period will be for activities at the adaptive farm.
Mbata, who was also represented by a deputy director in the department, Chukwuma Jinanwa, assured that the NDE would not relent in its constitutional mandate of imparting skills that could translate into self employment.
He added that the training curriculum was structured to include major areas of modern agricultural production, crop farming, livestock production, apiculture, marketing and agri-preneurial training.