TRAINING PARTNERSHIP: AROGUNDADE VISITS GOLDEN FINGER FARMS AND RANCHES LIMITED OVER AGRO-TRAINING

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (SSAP-TVEE), Madam Abiola Arogundade, on Tuesday, February 7, visited Golden Finger Farms and Ranches Limited in her continued search for training partners towards achieving her mandate on Technical and Vocational Training for Nigerians.

Madam Arogundade, who was received at the Farm in Zuba in the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by top officials of the company led by its Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Steve Isaac, said the purpose of her visits to similar firms is to identify training organizations that would match the kind of training her office wants to give Nigerian Youths.

She told the Chief Operating Officer, “One of the mandates of my office is to contribute significantly to the training of five million Nigerians in various skills annually and a large portion of that number will be in agro-business. So we are happy to partner with you”.

Recalling that the President laid much emphasis on agricultural training, the SSAP-TVEE expressed delight that Golden Finger Farms and Ranches Limited has the facilities required to carry out quality agro training, expressing the hope to consolidate the partnership.

She was particularly delighted that the company has the resources for the training adding, “We have been going on inspection of different skills in different sectors and looking at those that will match the kind of training we want to give to the youths and we think you have the resources here”.

“I am happy to hear that you are doing backward integration because it is very important. I am also impressed and happy to be here because I have been told so much about this place. We will come back to you again with some form of partnership proposal because the President gave us the mandate to train and we see facilities here”, the SSAP-TVEE said.

In his remarks, the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr. Steve Isaac, said one of the company’s objectives is to become “a one-stop agric hub where you will be able to have a feel of what agric value chain is all about”, adding that one of the most important things they pass early to participants during training sessions is “that backward integration is the key that will help us to sustain agric business”.

Expressing delight at the prospect of working with the office of the SSAP-TVEE,”in whatever capacity”, the COO added, “We especially want to work with you to help achieve the vision of the President. The nation that feeds itself is a strong nation”.

Earlier, while taking the SSAP-TVEE on inspection of the facility, the Managing Director, Dr. Reuben Joel, informed her that the farm is being sponsored by the government of the Netherlands adding that the Farm runs a six-week training session in agricultural business for Nigerians yearly to assist them build up business in agriculture.

Pointing out that the Government of Netherlands targets to train about 10,000 Nigerians, the Managing Director, who said the sponsors trained a thousand Nigerians last year and have commenced with another session this year, added that after the six-week training the trainees are given starter kits and let in clusters to farm, with Golden Finger Farms and Ranges as supervisors, for a year after which the company also acts as off-takers of their agric produce.

The SSAP-TVEE was also taken to one of the training sections called Youths in Agro-business, where she interacted with some young agric-trainees. In a short interview at the section, two Nigerians, Ada Umaru (Project Administrator) and Olayemi (Hub Manager), who were introduced as staff of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), said they are there to represent the interest of the institute which is partnering with Golden Finger Farms and Ranges Limited in implementing the programme.

The facility houses a Poultry, Fishery, Piggery, Horse and Cattle ranges, Camels and Rabbits, among others as well as Vegetable nurseries.

Media Office