Lagos APPEALS empowers 1,600 agripreneurs with training

The Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS), Lagos State chapter has projected to empower over 1,600 agripreneurs with training within the next two years through its Women and Youth Empowerment Programme (WYEP) scheme.

 Oluranti Sagoe-Oviebo, the state project coordinator of APPEALS, stated this recently in Lagos during the opening ceremony of the flag off of the training programme.

 According to a statement, the two-week intensive residency training programme, which started last week Sunday, is being held simultaneously in Lagos and Ogun states for agripreneurs across various commodity value chains.

Oviebo further disclosed that the project was one of the highlighted strategies by Ibijoke Sanwoolu, wife of the governor of the Lagos State, during the 19th National Women’s Conference – which is part of the state’s plan to ensure the implementation of its THEMES agenda through women empowerment and job creation.

She added that the empowerment programme included capacity building in enterprise development, agribusiness training in the chosen value chain of interest and provision of technical assistance.

She noted that the capacity building programme would be supported by grants to finance sub-projects and mentorship for start-ups or consolidation of existing women and youth-led businesses as individuals or group beneficiaries.

“The WYEP is designed for the unemployed and underemployed women and youths to facilitate income generation and improved livelihood of the beneficiaries,” Oviebo said.

 “A total of 1,620 beneficiaries with 10 percent of People With Disabilities (PWD) inclusion out of over 7,000 persons who expressed their interest during the competitive selection process of the programme are to benefit under this scheme,” she further said.

 Breaking down modalities for the training, the state project coordinator said beneficiaries have been divided into batches for efficiency and optimum utilisation and best value from the training institutes based on their capacity and facilities.

 A total of 350 beneficiaries were randomly selected to kick-start the two-week training programme in two Institutes: Araga Training Institute in Epe, where poultry and rice value chain agripreneurs will be trained, and Aquatic hub in Asero, Abeokuta, for training of entrepreneurs in the fishing industry.

 Oviebo welcomed the beneficiaries to the institute and implored them to open up their minds to the training as well as making the best use of the opportunities provided.

She urged them to adhere strictly to the institute’s rules and regulations.

 The basic strategy of the APPEALS project is to increase productivity, production and improve processing and marketing of the targeted value chains which are expected to foster job creation along the value chains.