By Ahmed Ahmed
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in collaboration with the Commodity Allied Farmers Association of Nigeria (COMAFAS) commenced training of 75 youth on fisheries in Bauchi State.
Dr Austine Maduka, National President of COMAFAS stated this in an interview with Journalists on Wednesday in Bauchi.
He said the training is part of the ECOWAS initiative and strategy towards the capacity building of youths in the food value chain systems through the grants partnership with COMAFAS
“We inaugurated the second phase of the training yesterday Tuesday in Bauchi with 75 youth participants that would be trained on fishery for five months in the state.
“The first phase was inaugurated in Abuja last week Tuesday with 75 youth participants to receive training on poultry
“Therefore, a total of 150 youths in the ratio of 75 by 75 with 30% women shall be trained under the ECOWAS
grant of $77, 942,” Maduka said.
Maduka said that the youth’s training would strengthen and enhance meat and fish availability as well as reduce unemployment among youth in the country.
According to him, COMAFAS will provide technical training on how to grow fish and will take the participants through the rudiments of fishery in the state.
“We mobilize women, youths and all intending and practising farmers, who have little or no farming ideas to become self-sufficient in agriculture business, through supportive and secured platform COMAFAS,” he said.
DDr.Maduka urged stakeholders across the country to support youth empowerment through various initiatives on Agriculture,
“Such as fisheries, processing and preservation of perishable items and other essential agricultural products in Nigeria,” He said.
The President also appealed to the Bauchi State Government to take ownership of the project by encouraging the youth to facilitate some of the activities.
He also urged participants to utilize these lofty initiatives for the best interests of improving their income and adding value to the National Domestic products(GDP).
Maduka explained that COMAFAS will partner with Thailand on modern farming and training our youths in agriculture to boost food production in the country.