Ministry trains 200 women on aquaculture, poultry production

AS part of government’s effort to generate employment through agriculture, the Federal government has trained no fewer than 174 women in aquaculture and poultry production, processing and packaging The Director Federal Department of Extension, federal ministry of agriculture and rural development, Dr. Amin Babandi at the aquaculture and poultry farming training workshop organized for 174 members of the Destined Women and Child Foundation in Abuja noted that the training was part of effort to create employment, make the women self-employed, increase there income and improve the overall welfare of their families as well as that of the Nation in general.

He mentioned that it has been proven in several quarters that when you empower a woman, you empower a nation, adding that it is very clear that for Nigeria with about 50% women population, the nation cannot achieve its development objective without empowering women.

He said “Consequently, let us jointly put our hands, skills and ideas together to take agriculture back to its position of glory as the major revenue earner for Nigeria; so that Nigeria as a new agricultural space can hold its head among the nations of the World.

For Nigeria strives in the past in Agriculture and in taking agriculture as business lies Nigeria’s greater future for inclusive growth.”

The Director who was represented by the Deputy Director in the ministry, Dele Olorunfemi pointed out that the ministry is doing a structural reform of the sector by unlocking the potential of agriculture to urgently diversify Nigeria’s economy, create jobs, attain food and nutrition security, reduce foreign exchange expenditure on food imports as well as increase foreign exchange earnings, despite the winding crude oil prices. He stated that, “Through this initiative, agriculture is now the buzz word in Nigeria.

The reforms have been so effective that today major local and international investors are investing in this new agricultural sector, with $5.6 billion in investments (about N1097.6 billion); the number of seed companies alone has risen from 5 to 80 within three years and the banks are lending to the sector more than ever before.

The biggest private sector operators such as Dangote are now investing in agriculture directly from production to processing.” The Director however urged the women to take full use of the opportunity created through the transformation agenda to empower themselves and their families.

The FCT Secretary on agriculture, Olvadi Madayi in his remark pointed out that Nigeria require about 2.6million metric tonnes of fish annually to meet up with demand and the total aggregate production is less than 0.7million metric tonnes per annum and the country has to live with importation of about 0.7million mt of frozen fish.

He said this situation does not speak well of a country well endowed with all necessary resources to make the difference, adding that the huge amount spent on importation of frozen fish can be invested in fish farming and this would go a long way in satisfying domestic fish needs of the country as well as export.

Madayi noted that the FCT administration is determined to boost fish production and fish product so it has initiated various fisheries projects and programme. In addition to the regular distribution of fish input to fisher folks at subsidized prices.