At least fifty serving corps members have been trained by the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) on value addition and post harvest management of agricultural crops.
Speaking at the opening of the eighth edition of one-week capacity building workshop for the
corps members in Ilorin , the Executive Director of the institute, Dr. Patricia Pessu, said that youth engagement in agribusiness, as being practised in some developing countries, is a crucial asset to achieving sustainable food security.
She said value addition to agricultural products is a viable and trendy aspect of agribusiness that creates job opportunities, increases farmers’ income, and ensures abundance of food .
Dr Pessu noted that the programme is aimed to encourage self-reliance, self-employment and ensure productivity among Nigerian youths.
She explained that the institute will support corps members with approved business proposal and start up seed money.
In her remark ,the Kwara state NYSC coordinator, Francisca Olaleye, represented by assistant director of the scheme, Orangun Adegboyega, said that the programme is capable of solving food problem in the country.
Ali Muhammad Rabiu