Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have lauded the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI ) for their training on value addition in selected agricultural commodities, which enabled youths to become self-employed in the agricultural sector.
In her opening remarks at the capacity building program held at NSPRI’s Ibadan zonal office in Onireke, Ibadan, the executive director of the Institutes, Dr. Patricia Pessu, said the maiden edition of the training was held at the institute’s Ilorin headquarters, in February 2020.
According to Pessu, the capacity building training is to be replicated all over the country for NYSC members. She also explained that the project was organized to tackle the menace of unemployment among Nigerian youths.
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The NSPRI deals with the Improvement and maintenance of quality of crops and livestock products, including milk, meat, and fish, as well as the design, fabrication and development of postharvest equipment to improve the processing and storage of food.
The training included value addition in agricultural commodities such as poundo yam, rice flour, beans flour, tomato paste and smoked fish, among others.
Sandra Kolade, assistant director for NYSC commended the federal government for providing opportunities for the corps members. She went on to charge participants to be faithful stewards of the knowledge and opportunities they had obtained to make economic gains.
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In her remarks, Dr. Grace Otitodun, NSPRI zonal coordinator said participants could harness the institute’s services to start up their businesses, while adding that those who have the intention to go into the value addition business at the end of their service year should prepare a proposal.
She said those with good proposals would be assisted and given an NSPRI starter pack with the required technical support to motivate them.
