The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has commenced training of Agricultural Extension Agents in Enugu state.

No less than 40 of the agents have been trained in the state on Tools and Methodologies on Selected Agricultural Value Chains.

ROYAL NEWS gathered that the programme is in line with the federal government’s agricultural policy.

The Enugu training which ended during the weekend as part of a four-day training of extension workers on extension tools, methodologies and selected agricultural value chains, was conducted simultaneously in the thirty-six states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

The training which was second of its kind was organized by the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Sasakawa-Africa Association/Global 2000.

Declaring the training open, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, represented by the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Enugu, who was represented by Mr Cajetan Oguike, described the training as one of the several strategies planned by the federal Ministry to halt the drift in Agricultural extension system.

The Minister stated that the aim of the project was in pursuit of the revitalization agenda of the Nigerian economy by the Federal Government.

The Director, Federal Department of Agricultural Extension, Engr. Frank Kudla, represented by Nnena Onodu announced that outside three motorcycles already delivered to the Enugu State Agricultural Development Project, ADP, the Minister has also approved a knapsack sprayer and a three-litre herbicide for each participant.

Speaking during the training, the Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Matthew Idu, decried the dwindling trend of Agricultural Extension Services in an era of the quest for diversification of the nation’s economy through agriculture.