FG Commences Training of 3rd Batch of Agripreneurship Start-up Scheme
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government has launched the training of the third batch of the Agripreneurship Start-up Scheme, a component of the Federal Public Service Entrepreneurship Programme (FPSEP).
According to a statement issued by Director, Communications, Mohammed Ahmed, the programme aims to enhance the value proposition of Civil Servants by providing opportunities for them to learn new skills and acquire multiple streams of income before and after retirement.
The training, which commenced on June 5th, 2024, in Abuja, is for 187 selected Civil Servants across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of Government (MDAs). The programme is designed to harness the untapped potentials in agriculture and entrepreneurship sectors, vital for sustainable development and economic growth.
The Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Comfort Adeosun, declared the programme open. She emphasized that the main objective of FPSEP is to provide opportunities for public servants to learn and acquire new skills that would enable them to have multiple streams of income before and after retirement. Dr. Adeosun highlighted that the first and second batches of trainees have started practicing what they learned, enhancing their financial inflow and improving their standard of living.
Adeosun thanked relevant stakeholders and partners, including the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), and selected farmers, for their invaluable contributions towards the actualization of the Programme.
The Director overseeing the Entrepreneurship Department at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), Ebun Aboje, encouraged participants to leverage the training to acquire the necessary skills needed to enhance productivity in their area of interest. The Deputy Director Overseeing the Office of Director Employee and Industrial Relations (EIR), Dominic Nwachukwu, urged participants to pay close attention to the training and make judicious use of the opportunity.
The FSEP initiative was launched on March 27th, 2023, and has seen the training of 87 participants from four MDAs in the first batch and 100 participants from five MDAs in the second batch. The third batch training module includes Entrepreneurial Mindset and Marketing, Grass Cutter Farming, Sources of Finance for Agricultural and Ventures, and other skills acquisition programs.
The Agripreneurship Start-up Scheme is a significant step towards enhancing the value proposition of Civil Servants and promoting sustainable development and economic growth in Nigeria.