The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has engaged about 100 unemployed youths in Abia State for its Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS).
Speaking at the flag off ceremony/orientation held at the NDE office complex, Amuzuta, old Umuahia, Abia State, the NDE Director General, Dr Ladan Nasiru Argungu, represented by the Abia State Coordinator of NDE, Lady Chijioke Uzoatuegwu, said the programme was in line with the federal government’s policy on agriculture for employment, wealth creation and food sufficiency.
He added that the programme was a paradigm shift towards a more sustainable agricultural training scheme of the NDE.
According to him, the beneficiaries comprised mainly of unemployed school leavers and graduates of tertiary institutions who have passion for agriculture as an enterprise adding that the trainees would be rigorously trained in various aspects of modern agricultural practices for a period of three months with two weeks of experimental training in both livestock and crops.
Argungu defined sustainable agriculture as a system of agricultural production and distribution which helps to provide more profitable farm income, promote environmental stewardship and enhance quality of life for farm families and communities.
The DG promised that the trainees would receive some allowances during the training, but urged them to take advantage of the training to escape unemployment and poverty.
