KW-SAPZ Project: Govt. Empowers Youths with Job Creation, Entrepreneurship Skills

… Training to Boost Productivity, Maximise Profitability — Livestock Commissioner

The Kwara State Government, through the State Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Project, has equipped 300 youths across the state with job creation and entrepreneurship skills at a five-day training held at Excellence Hall and Guest House, Pipeline Road, Ilorin. The training was designed to enhance the participants’ entrepreneurial and employability skills.

The five-day training, titled “Capacity Building for Youth on Job Creation and Entrepreneurship,” was conducted by D-Positive Global Image Services. It brought together unemployed, underemployed and self-employed participants drawn from the catchment areas of the Kwara SAPZ Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATCs) in Ifelodun, Baruten, Asa and Kaiama Local Government Areas.

Speaking at the programme, the State Commissioner for Livestock Development and Chairperson of the Kwara SAPZ Technical Committee, Honourable Oloruntoyosi Thomas, said the training would expose the youths to “viable business and job opportunities within the livestock and agro-industrial value chains; strengthen their capacity in business development, financial management and enterprise sustainability; and encourage innovation and self-reliance rather than dependence solely on salaried employment.”

The Commissioner, who oversees the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, noted that the participants were expected to acquire improved knowledge, practical entrepreneurial skills and a better understanding of enterprise development. She said these would ultimately result in “new and strengthened youth-led enterprises, increased employment opportunities, improved livelihoods and greater participation of women, youths and persons with disabilities in the economic opportunities that will emerge from the SAPZ Project.”

While appreciating the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON, for his continued commitment to youth empowerment, agricultural transformation and the successful implementation of the SAPZ Project, she said the administration’s livestock development efforts in Kwara epitomised prosperity.

According to her, the “intervention is particularly important because the success of SAPZ should not be measured only by the physical infrastructure we build, but also by the jobs, enterprises and sustainable livelihoods created for our people, especially within our host and catchment communities.”

She encouraged the 300 participants to apply the knowledge acquired during the training to productive and sustainable ventures. She added that the skills would help them improve productivity and maximise profit, urging them to “start now, start small and start at home.”

The State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Hauwa Nuru, described the SAPZ initiative as a crucial demonstration of the Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led administration’s commitment to transforming agriculture from a subsistence enterprise into a modern and commercially viable sector capable of creating jobs, generating wealth and driving inclusive economic growth.

She further said, “For us in Kwara State, agriculture is not merely about food production. It is about building value chains, creating enterprises, developing skills and opening sustainable opportunities for our young people. This capacity-building programme is therefore particularly important. Our young population represents one of our greatest assets, but that potential must be supported with the right knowledge, technical skills, entrepreneurial capacity and access to opportunities.”

Dr. Nuru urged the youths to embrace the training opportunity with seriousness, discipline and determination, while charging them to be innovative and entrepreneurial and to create opportunities that would contribute to prosperity in society.

In his welcome remarks, the State Project Coordinator, Kwara State Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Project, Engr. Dr. Busari Toyin Isiaka, explained that the intervention was timely for youths and women in and around the project’s ATC locations, noting that it would contribute significantly to addressing unemployment.

He added that the success of SAPZ would translate into the creation of jobs, enterprises and sustainable livelihoods for beneficiaries.

Busari revealed that the Kwara SAPZ Project prioritises the participation of youths and women in its implementation process to enhance economic sustainability. He said the support provided to the participants would help grow the state’s economy and contribute to its industrial and agricultural transformation.

Busari described the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Project as an important platform for connecting farmers to processing, processing to markets, and young people to emerging opportunities across the agricultural value chain.

Addressing the participants, the Chairman of D-Positive Global Image Services Consult Limited, Mallam Nasir Abdulquadir, encouraged them to work towards translating their talents and values into prosperity, noting that their potential could be harnessed by making effective use of the skills acquired during the training.

He stressed the need for the participants to remain passionate about achieving their dreams, charging them to begin applying and testing the skills acquired during the training to ensure that the intervention was productive and impactful.

The resource persons, including Dr. Dayo Adekunle, Mr. Tunde Me. Chartered Accountant Alabere, Mr. Tunde Daramosu and Mr. Ayobami Dunmoye, took the participants through various topics, including farm mechanisation, financial planning, crop production and livestock farming.

Mrs. Kareem Ramat Temitope and Mrs. Salaudeen Silifat, who participated in the training, thanked the Kwara State Government for the intervention and pledged to make judicious use of the skills acquired.

The highpoints of the programme included group discussions and the symbolic presentation of certificates of attendance to the participants.

Also in attendance were other staff members of the Kwara SAPZ.   

Sangodare Ayinla,  

KMCO,  

KW-SAPZ,

07033530735