Not less than 9, 154 beneficiaries have be trained in various farm enterprises under the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau since the initiative came on board in 2015.
The programmes include the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP), Skills Training Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP), Graduate Employment Enhancement Programme (GEEP) and Production and Processing Support Programme (PPSP).
According to the Chief Job Creation Officer, Prof. Eric Eboh, YAGEP has trained 1,776 youths, STEP has 5,051, GEEP 170 youths, while PPSP, has engaged supported 2,157 youths, making a total of 9,154 beneficiaries.
Addressing the beneficiaries on Thursday April 13th 2023, at the conference hall of Olorogun Felix Ibru Secretariat, in Asaba, the Delta State capital, Prof. Eboh, said the programme has made youth agricultural entrepreneurs better than they met them.
He noted that the direct beneficiaries of job creation programmes since 2015-2023, are all recognized and documented.
He disclosed that before the programme in 2015, a survey was carried out, “it gave us a lot of insight into the problem of youths participate in agriculture programme in Delta State and the country”.
Prof. Eric Eboh, harped on the need for beneficiaries that have not registered their farm as a business entity/name to do so while he congratulated those who have done so (Business name registration)
According to him, keeping of farm records and account keeping, business plan for the farm are veritable tools, he wondered what could be done well without a plan
He said “No serious business can fund itself and can operate on its own. Loan is not evil. Loan is the oil that oils the business
“I will like us to open up in this workshop, don’t hold back, adopt the mindset of a missionary to impact and create value in the lives of the beneficiaries”, he stressed.
Resource persons such as Emmanuela Clinton, Chief Executive Officer Nuela Clinton’s Farm, Sam Ndikanwu, supervisor, YAGEP
Sharing experiences on running a profitable acrop farm enterprise: Challenges and solutions, Chinweike Samuel, Nwankwo, Executive Officer, Chinweike Farms
Fish farm enterprise, Challenges and solutions and nah, Thomas Uche, Zonal Manager, South-south, Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation spoke heart-to-heart with the beneficiaries.
The types, benefits and production of agribusiness insurance was taken by Mr. Valentine Azuka- Marketing Manager, Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation.
The one-day Orientation and Farm Enterprise Training (OFET) was attended by 254 YAGEP beneficiaries enrolled into the 2022 cycle in Crop, Fish and poultry Farming.
The OFET with the theme, “Managing Your Farm Enterprise: The Critical Dos and Don’ts,” would equip them as already existing farmers, make them agricultural entrepreneurs and better managers of resources.
