BY Idris Shehu
Office Chérifien des Phosphates, (OCP) has partnered with the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi and has begun the training of 30 youth selected in five states from the North to boost Agriculture under the pilot phase of its Empowering African Youths (EMAY) project in Nigeria.
The head agronomy for OCP Africa Fertilizers Nigeria Ltd Donald Madukwe, who spoke during the opening ceremony of the training held yesterday in Bauchi, said that participants will undergo specialized training so that they can become proficient in technical and commercial skills to enable them function as service providers and independent business owners within the Agriculture ecosystem, thereby eking out a means of livelihood for them.
He also said that participants will undergo bespoke capacity training as developed by the faculty of Agriculture of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University ATBU to enable them function as value creators within the Agriculture value chain.
According to him, the young Leaders will be empowered with agronomy technical know-how and agricultural tools, such as mobile digital soil laboratories for soil testing and analysis, Cargo tricycles to reach rural farming communities as last mile retailers of inputs, Electronic Tablets for data gathering using digital solution, and small handheld implements to enable them deliver value to smallholder farmers in rural communities.
He explained that after the training and handing over of the items, the Young Leaders will be supported with monthly stipends to enable their businesses take root and stabilize.
Dr. Madukwe stated that part of EMAY’s objectives, aside from creating a source of livelihood for the youths in the agricultural sector, is to empower them with the required knowledge needed to be consultants/advisors which will enable them to provide Best Agricultural Practices (BAP), Agronomic and Technical training and support to smallholder farmers in rural communities.
He added that participants will be equipped with sophisticated agro-tools to provide fertilizers and agrochemical recommendations based on soil analysis, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital solutions.
It was learnt that the one-week long training by OCP Africa, one of the leading companies in the global production and exportation of phosphate-based fertilizers, is aimed at empowering African youths by facilitating their participation in the business of Agriculture.
The Empowering African Youth (EMAY) project seeks to equip 30 young Nigerians, in the first phase, who have been screened based on criteria ranging from having a certificate in Agriculture, experience with farmer engagement and entrepreneurship drive, drawn from Sokoto, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, and Bauchi States, with capabilities to be self-employed and be future agriculture-entrepreneurs.
