The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has trained 40 extension worker in Ogun on global best practices and the use of modern tools for effective extension delivery.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ogun reports that the three-day training programme was organised for extension officers in the state, with the aim of revitalising Nigeria’s extension service delivery in Nigeria.
The training was held at the Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta.
In his address of welcome, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, said that president Muhammadu Buhari administration was keen on revitalisimg Nigeria’s agricultural extension services.
This, he said, was through building capacity for delivery of effective pluralistic extension and advisory services that meets global standard.
Abubakar, who was represented by Mr Ganiyu Oseni, the State Director, in the ministry, said there was need to update the knowledge-base of extension officers, through various exposures to best global best practices and modern tools, to enable them deliver on their job effectively.
Oseni disclosed that the training exercise was going on concurrently across the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, as the training was the second phase which targeted the capacity building of 40 extension officers in each state.
He, however, assured participants that the training would enhance their knowledge of extension service delivery to farmers, in terms of production practices and equipment, for technical support.
He urged them to take the training serious, as well as train others, adding that the initiative also sought to ensure food security and augment foreign earnings for the nation at large.
“This training is one of several strategies planned by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to halt the drift in the agricultural extension system with the aim of pursuing a revitalisation agenda of the Nigerian economy by the Federal Government”, he said.
Declaring the event open, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina, said that the emphasis on training of extension agents was apt, as it offered free advisory services to young farmers and investors,
Odedina, described the training as a mandate of government that should be achieved to set an agricultural development agenda in motion.
He lauded the initiative, saying that it was a welcomed idea which complemented the State’s agricultural road map development.
The commissioner, also disclosed that Ogun has the largest ratio of extension workers in the country, with an average of at least five extension officers in each of the 20 Local Government Areas of the State.
“These days, people want to practice agriculture and invest in it, but they do not have adequate knowledge, which is where the extension agents come in to give advisory services.
“Agriculture is profitable, especially for those that yield to advice, and our goal is to attract more youths and prospective investors into the agricultural sector” Odedina said.
Mr Joseph Talabi and Miss Adeola Gbadamosi appreciated the government for the training at no cost, while pledging to spread the information acquired on new technologies and methods of farming to the farmers for effective productivity. (NAN) (nannews.ng)
