OGUN-OSHUN RBDA INAUGURATES BATCH 2023 GRADUATE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME (GYEP)
The Managing Director/CEO of Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority, Otunba Olufemi Odumosu has on Thursday, 21st September, 2023 inaugurated the Batch 2023 set of the Graduate Youth Empowerment Programme of the Federal Government in the Authority.
Picture 1: Engr. Otunba Odumosu speaking at the inauguration.
Otunba Odumosu stated at the inauguration that the Graduate Training began since 2016 as Graduate Farmers Employment Scheme (GRAFES) before it was changed to Graduate Youth Empowerment Programme (GYEP) to reflect the realities of the times inline with the policy thrust of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, to ensure that the Graduates are empowered to be self-employed in Agricultural enterprises.
He said the programme is aimed to optimize the agricultural potential of the River Basin Development Authorities, improve food production and thus national food security, provide a veritable platform for job creation through gainful employment for the teaming unemployed graduates and youths in the country.
He said the participants are to be trained in various Agricultural activities such as Crop farming, Animal husbandry, Food processing and other Sustainable Agricultural activities for a period of six months, at the end of which the participants will be empowered by the Federal Government through the Authority, to establish their own Agricultural Ventures or become trainers and employers of labour, thereby creating a multiplier effect of sustaining the programme.
Otunba Odumosu while congratulating the seventh batch in the series asked the youths to diligently participate in the programme, noting that collaboration and facilitation of linkages were being undertaken with relevant Agricultural Development Agencies such as the Ogun State Government's Ministry of Agriculture for skills, design and fabrication of tools.
In his welcome address, the Deputy Director, Agric (overseeing the Agricultural Services Directorate), Mr. Noah Alamu stated the objectives of the programme which include optimizing the agricultural potentials in the River Basin Development Authority, improve food production and thus ensure food security and providing veritable platform for job creation for the teeming unemployed Graduates and Youths nationwide.
The programme according to Alamu was to make the graduate youths self-employed, efficient and self-reliant; to improve food production and security in the country through Agriculture; provide veritable platform for job creation and to enhance climate smart agriculture and training of agripreneurs in the area of livestock, fishery and crop farming.
He said the programme comprises of hands-on training, entrepreneurship, incentives for participants, start-off farming scheme, registration with Corporate Affairs Commission or formation of Cooperatives and collaboration with other facilitators and stakeholders.
Sixty (60) participants who have been carefully selected are participating in the 2023 programme. Keynote addresses to the participants were given by the Executive Directors and Directors of the Authority.
Picture : Management and staff of Ogun Oshun RBDA and the newly inaugurated participants
The programme which was well attended by Management and Staff of the Authority was rounded up with the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Authority and the respective participants.
