The Lagos State Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) project has started a two-week residency training for 350 women and youth agro-entrepreneurs.

This is contained in a statement issued on Thursday, in Lagos, by Mrs. Folake Ogunlana-Lawal, the project’s communication officer, who quoted the coordinator, Mrs. Oluranti Sagoe-Oviebo, as saying a total of 1700 women and youth would benefit from the project.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that APPEALS is a Federal Government and World Bank Assisted project with a core objective to develop the rice, aquaculture and poultry value chains in Lagos.

The project is also replicated in Kogi, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano and Cross River where beneficiaries will undertake entrepreneurial residency training in value chains of comparative advantage in the states.

Sagoe-Oviebo said that the 1,700 women and youth were selected from over 7,000 applicants, and the first batch of beneficiaries would undergo intensive training in two locations — Araga Training Institute in Epe and the Aquatic hub in Asero, Abeokuta Ogun.

The coordinator said that the state was set to raise over 1,700 agro entrepreneurs within the next two years through its Women and Youth Empowerment Programme (WYEP) scheme under the project

She said that two-week intensive residency training programme, which started on Sunday, was holding simultaneously in Lagos and Ogun States for beneficiaries of different value chains.

Sagoe-Oviebo said that the project was one of the highlighted strategies by wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, during the 19th National Women’s Conference, as part of the government’s plan to empower women and create jobs.

According to the coordinator, the empowerment programme will provide technical assistance and build capacity in enterprise development as well as agribusiness training in the chosen value chain of interest.

“The capacity building will be followed up with grants to finance sub-projects and mentorship for startup or consolidation of existing women and youth-led businesses as individual or group beneficiaries.

“The WYEP is designed for the unemployed and under employed women and youths with the aim of facilitating income generation and improved livelihood of the beneficiaries.

“A total of 1,620 beneficiaries with 10 per cent slot given to People with Disabilities (PWD) out of over 7000 persons who expressed their interest during the competitive selection process of the programme are to benefit under this scheme,” she said.

Breaking down modalities for the training, Sagoe-Oviebo said beneficiaries had been divided into batches for efficiency and optimum utilization and best value from the training institutes based on their capacity and facilities.

She said: “A total of 350 beneficiaries were randomly selected to kick start the two weeks training programme in two Institutes; Araga Training Institute in Epe, where Poultry and Rice value chains beneficiaries will be trained and Aquatic hub in Asero, Abeokuta”.

Sagoe-Oviebo urged beneficiaries to be open and receptive to the training and make the best use of the opportunities provided.

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

NAN reports that the basic strategy of APPEALS project is to increase productivity, production and improve processing and marketing of the targeted value chains, which are expected to foster job creation. (NAN)

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