IITA Youth Agripreneurs Prepare For Entrepreneurial Training

IN his continued efforts to mentor the youth to engage in agriculture as a viable business, Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, IITA’s Director General, has planned a three-day entrepreneurial and business training workshop, which is set to make those in the IITA Youth Agripreneurs scheme icons in the world of agricultural entrepreneurship. 

  The beneficiaries of the proposed training have been drawn from five countries across sub-Saharan Africa: Kenya, Zambia, DR Congo, Tanzania, and Uganda. 

  Consultants from EKIMIKS Nigeria Ltd, a leading business management firm with quality experience in entrepreneurial skill mentoring and which seeks to empower budding entrepreneurs on financial and management related issues will join the young people at the Conference Centre in Ibadan in the training entitled Empowering Agripreneurs on Agripreneural and Business Management for three days from February 3, 2015.

 Expected dignitaries at the training include Dr. Adesina Akinwunmi, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Dr. Sanginga, who are to present speeches. 

  The training will be streamed real time with daily updates on IITA social media platforms and will cover aspects of Leadership and Self-Management in Entrepreneurship, Essential Business skills, Business Accounting, Effective Sales and Marketing Strategies, Creating a Bankable Business, Case studies with agricultural bias of Agronomy and Animal Husbandry. The topics are all aimed to create and enhance the productivity and profitability of the Agripreneurs’ enterprise, transform participants’ attitudes, and strengthen their skills.

  Owoeye Omolayo, IITA Youth Agripreneurs’ Head of Capacity Development Unit, said the workshop became imperative because of the roles being played by the group among young people in the agricultural sector.

  She added that the workshop would equip the participants with basic knowledge in book-keeping and accounting, zero defects in business operations, corporate governance practices, fundamental entrepreneurial skills, and prepare them for future challenges especially in the world of business.