Afam Mbanefo, commissioner for agriculture, says Anambra State Government will run massive agric-related skills empowerment programmes for youths this year.
Mbanefo said this during interactive session with Anambra State Think Tank Committee on Agriculture at his office at Awka, according to a ReelNews report.
The commissioner, who gave the explanation, noted that this would be in line with the expected massive foreign investment in Agriculture this year.
He added that there was need for youths to be empowered, “there is need to maximize the opportunity to secure employment in the sector’’.
According to him, the dearth of agric-related skills by Ndi Anambra has made our youths unemployable in the sector.
A member of the Think Tank Committee, Richardson Okechukwu said that a lack of needed skills amongst the youths had made them lose grounds.
“This has given youths from neighbouring states the opportunity to take over.
“The state should push for a policy that will compel schools, especially schools of agriculture to collaborate with the private sector for training in order to have the theoretical and practical aspects.
“The training should be private-sector driven and graduates of such training should be kept in a pool from where they will be posted to various organisations in need of their skills.”