The Lagos State Government says an aptitude test for pre-qualified applicants for the Lagos Agripreneurship Programme (LAP) under its Agriculture-based Youth Empowerment Scheme (Agric-Yes) will hold on Jan. 20.
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The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Gbolahan Lawal, made this known on Thursday in Lagos.
Lawal said that the test would take place at the Lagos State Cooperative College, Johnson Agiri Complex, Oko Oba, Agege.
The commissioner said that all shortlisted applicants would be contacted via SMS, urging them to be at the venue of the test by 8.00 a.m.
He said this was a sequel to the end of the distribution of application forms for the LAP and their sorting.
The commissioner said that the programme was initiated in furtherance of the state government’s objective of training 15,000 youths and women in various agricultural value chains by the year 2023.
Lawal noted that successful applicants would be exposed to a one-month training programme at the Agricultural Training Institute at Araga, Epe.
He added that the training would improve capacity, create wealth and employment opportunities in the agricultural value chains such as poultry, piggery, aquaculture and vegetables.
“The current reality and exigencies of jobs creation for the teeming youth population and attainment of food security require that a more aggressive, strategic and efficient approach be employed in the training and empowerment of women and youths.
“This move will ascertain if Lagos State is to achieve a significant reduction of unemployment, create more jobs and wealth, and also significantly enhance food security in the state by the year 2023,” he said.
Lawal added that the training would efficiently reduce unemployment, create jobs and alleviate poverty in the state and as well attract and pay more attention to the creation of jobs for women in agribusiness.
He reiterated the significance of the training and the expected impacts to include the creation of 2000 Agro-Entrepreneurs.
According to him, they would, in turn, become job creators; promotion of food security improved nutrition and general wellbeing of Lagos residents.
The commissioner listed other impacts as a creation of at least 4,000 indirect jobs by every 2,000 beneficiaries per year through the engagement of support staff such as attendants and artisans, among others.