SMEDAN Organises Sensitization/Entrepreneurship Training On Agribusiness Development, Empowerment Program In Bauchi

Ayuba Mafi

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) Bauchi North East Zonal Office has organised a 1 day sensitization and 5 days training for one hundred and sixty participants drawn from sixteen cooperative societies on agribusiness development and empowerment program (ADEP) in Bauchi state.

 

Speaking during the opening ceremony held at the venue, the state manager, Bauchi zonal office, Abdulrashid Andu said that the training was aimed at equipping the participants with the prerequisite knowledge on how to develop their businesses, access to finance, marketing and other basic business best practices, hence the prospect of increased GDP, employment generation and tackling unemployment in the country.

 

Accordingly, the training will also avail them with opportunities towards starting their own businesses with a low or little capital, land space and a more bankable business in accordance with global international practices.

 

According to the state manager, the five days training is currently ongoing in 2 centres accross the state; Bauchi and Katagum. Sixteen cooperative society groups with ten members each  were drawn from the 20 local government areas respectively.

 

He also disclosed that at the end of the training each cooperative society will recieve cash grants of two hundred eightee eight thousand, seven hundredand fifty naira (N288,750) to support them in boosting their businesses.

 

Our correspondence interview some of the participants during the six days trainings, Malam Annas Umar Usman from Bauchi State Dry Session Farmers said he has gotten more knowledge, method and strategies on how to start up with little capital and land space in a business as well as how to come up with a good bankable business Plan.

 

Adding that he also learned how to identify what types of crop to be produce, how to produce, and where to sells his products after harvesting.

 

Corroborating, Hajiya Hauwa Dahiru Balbaya from Nigeria Association of Small Scale and Industry (NASI) and who is the deputy vice president, women development, Bauchi chapter, said she has benefited so much from the training on the areas of business plan, bookkeeping and good records, creating good customer relationships as well as ways of identifying good business opportunities.