By Martins Abochol
The Taraba State Government, in collaboration with the Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)’s Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), has graduated youth fabricators in the state.
Mr Irmiya Musa, VCDP State Programme Coordinator (SPC) while speaking at the event on Friday in Jalingo, said that the training was one of the critical components of the programme.
He urged the participants to enhance their skills in the agricultural mechanisation drive of both the state and the federal government.
Mrs Altine James, Rural Institutions, Gender, and Youth Mainstreaming Officer (RIGYMO) of the VCDP, said that the programme had a mandate to include women and youths, who were targeted in its implementation programme.
James said that the programme had developed an enterprise model along with the value chain of rice and cassava.
She explained that the aim was to enhance production, processing and marketing as well as to increase wealth for the youth and women.
She noted that the programme had collaborated with the Taraba State Polytechnic, Suntai, in the provision of basic training on fabrication to the youth.
James further revealed that the youth, who were engaged, have developed their skills and have updated their knowledge through the refresher training.
“Some of the youths, who are already engaged in production, processing, and marketing activities have indicated their interest in our value chain programme.
“We had first collaborated with the Taraba State Polytechnic, which gave them the basic training on youth fabrication.
“We have now brought them to a refresher training, which they have just completed.
“The aim is for them to learn more skills and update their knowledge, and they were tasked with producing a rice thresher. They have designed and fabricated it and have added value, such that it has been given very unique features.
“It is one that threshes two bags within one hour; it doesn’t need a large space in operation, and it uses diesel. This particular machine has unique components and could be manufactured within the community.
“This therefore, is bringing agro processing, equipment and mechanisation very close to the rural people.
“Our aim and mandate is to ensure that mechanisation gets to the rural areas so that they can make agriculture very attractive, especially to the women and youth, James said.
Mr Dangana Agabi, one of the participants and a manufacturer of rice thresher in Wukari, commended VCDP for building his technological skills in the production of machines.
Agabi said that the refresher training has also improved his skills, especially in value addition in the production of rice threshers, while Mr Nasiru Sulaiman, a producer of gas cylinders in Jalingo, thanked the VCDP for the training.
Sulaiman said that the training would go a long way in diversifying his skills in the manufacturing industry.
He explained that he had achieved another skill in the production of a rice thresher, which was a plus to his business.
