Some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have lauded the Federal Government for providing them platforms to become self employed, especially in the agricultural sector.
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The corps members, who participated in the Agricultural Value Chain Commodities training in Ibadan, spoke on Thursday at the end of the three-day programme.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised by the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute as part of the 2019 Federal Government capital projects on capacity building for youths.
Speaking on the impact of the training, one of the participants, Kausarat Abdulrasak, said it taught her new innovations on value addition and widened her horizons.
“This is something I would love to practise at the end of my service year by having my own product in the market and becoming an employer of labour,”she said.
Another participant, Omotoke Odunore, said the training had aroused her interest in agribusiness.
Others counted themselves fortunate to have learnt about value chain opportunities in agriculture and promised to turn the knowledge into a good venture that would make them self-reliant.
Mrs Sandra Kolade, Assistant Director, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), commended the Federal Government for providing opportunities for the corps members to be self reliant.
She, however, charged the participants to be faithful stewards of the knowledge and opportunities they have to make economic gains.
“At this time where getting white collar jobs are becoming a big problem to the nation, the training has opened their eyes to be able to use their hands and brain to be self employed as well as become employers of labour.
“This will go a long way to take our children off the road and boost our economy at this time,” she said.
Dr Grace Otitodun, NSPRI Zonal Coordinator, in her remarks, said the participants could harness the services of the institute at a lower cost to start up their businesses.
“Our Executive Director at NSPRI had said that those who had intention to go into value addition business at the end of their service year should prepare a proposal.
“Those with good proposals will be assisted and given NSPRI starter pack with required technical support to motivate them,”Otitodun said.
NAN reports that certificate of participation was presented to the 40 participants.
The participants at the training were corps members drawn from four local governments in Ibadan– Ibadan North 1 and ll, Ibadan North West and Ibadan South East.
NAN also reports that the training included value addition in agricultural commodities such as Poundo Yam, Rice Flour, Beans Flour, Tomato Paste and Smoked fish among others.