Government News Source, 20 August 2020
No fewer than than one thousand Women and Youth from all the eighteen Local Government Areas of Cross River State will benefit from the World Bank Agro Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project NEGROIDHAVEN has garnered.
Governor Ben Ayade disclosed this during the flag off of the second phase of the World Bank Support Project training on Poutltry Farming and its value chains in Akamkpa Local Government Area of the state.
Ayade who was represented by the Commissioner for International Development Cooperation, Dr. Inyang Asibong, charged the trainees to take advantage of the opportunities given to them, saying that the knowledge gained will be invaluable to a successful Agribusiness career.
Asibong added that the beginning of their road to become Green millionaires and employers of labour start from the training in line with the Agricultural Promotion Policy of Governor Ayade.
She said the APPEALS is a Cross River State Government-owned but World Bank-assisted program aimed at increasing agricultural productivity, reducing poverty and unemployment through empowering the women and youths in the state.
Addressing the participants, the General Manager, Obassi Poultry Farm, SONGHAI, Akamkpa Dr. Akinyemi Kehinde Christopher thanked the State Governor for fulfilling the mandate of approving the training with the payment of the counterpart funds and providing conducive learning environment for the trainees.
He said such effort was a catalyst to the Federal and State Governments’ efforts in strengthening food security, export potential and livelihood improvement.
During the tour of the poultry farm site to assess the level of preparedness for the training of the beneficiaries, Mr. David Belcom, who led the tour, said the APPEALS project has a dedicated sub-components to benefit women and youths.
He demonstrated the possibilities and opportunities along eleven selected priority agriculture value chains such as Rice, Cocoa, Poultry, Wheat, Cassava, Cashew, Maize, Orange, Ginger and Tomatoes.
In the same vain, the flag off of the training for other value chains by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Ntufam Okon Owuna, at the SONGHAI farms, Itigidi in Abi Local Government Area of the State has also commenced.
