UNITAR Online Catalogue
Agribusiness Skill Training and Post Training Mentorship and Empowerment
People
Background
Following an outcry by the indigenous people of Ogoniland concerning the environmental pollution and degradation caused oil mining, the Federal Government of Nigeria agreed with UNEP to conduct an environmental impact assessment to determine the extent of damage and its effects on land, water, air, health, social wellbeing and livelihoods. One of the recommendations of the report was that alternative sources of subsistence should be provided by the government to alleviate poverty caused by loss of livelihoods and strengthen the agricultural production capacity of the rural women who are the primary food producers. Consultations between the Federal Ministry of Environment, the hydrocarbon pollution remediation project (HYPREP) and UNITAR led to the agribusiness skill training and post-training empowerment programme. The intervention is a sustainable livelihood training programme designed within the framework of the Ogoniland clean-up and remediation.
Event Objectives
To use practical teaching methods to develop Agribusiness and entrepreneurial skills of woman.
To coordinate the preparation of post-training mentorship and empowerment.
To facilitate the formation of cooperatives.
Content and Structure
The programme is in two stages, first an intensive one-month training in aquaculture, poultry farming, crop production agro-food processing (feed formulation) and entrepreneurship training. The second phase is the post-training empowerment and six months mentorship which involves the use of demonstration facilities to transfer requisite skills, the formation of cooperatives and the implementation of out-grower networks.
Methodology
Practical oriented training based on the 80-20% ratio (practical-theoretical). This ratio will be even higher for farmer training where applicable. Also, the use of demonstration farms facilitates hands-on coaching and mentoring for six months to ensure the effective development of skills. The modules are focused on business and entrepreneurial skills development of the participants.
Targeted Audience
Beneficiaries are young, middle age, unemployed, literate and illiterate women from and resident in the four local government councils that makeup Ogoniland.