In fulfilment of its corporate social responsibility (CSR), coupled with an intent to expand the country’s economic status, the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has expended over N60 million on various developmental projects, especially along the agricultural value chain in Ogun State, just as it proposes establishment of three poultry farms in the state.
Similarly, the BATNF trained and empowered 60 jobless graduates on agriculture-based entrepreneurship, tagged: “Start-Up Ogun Youth Enterprise Training – Young Farmers’ Version” aimed at “reducing unemployment among youths through training in best agro-business practices focusing on sustainable agriculture.”
Speaking at the official closing ceremony of the Ogun State Entrepreneurship Training in Abeokuta, last week, Oluwasoromidayo George, executive director, BATNF, disclosed that the foundation, having identified the agrarian status of the state, invested in the agricultural value chain, including investment in agriculture-based entrepreneurship for jobless youths.
George said the training, empowerment and mentorship on agriculture-based enterprise was designed to foster creativity and innovativeness in business idea development and business networking promotion geared towards the creation of both direct and indirect jobs as well as the wealth creation, adding that co-operatives had also been formed among the trainees for business communication skills and easy financial access.
“It is my pleasure to inform you that the one-week training programme which keyed into the “Start-Up Ogun” programme of the state government, has successfully trained 60 youths of the state in acquiring requisite skills in developing their entrepreneurship skills, foster creativity and innovativeness in business idea development, promoting networking and opportunity sharing among participants.
“It is worthy to mention that the foundation, between 2006 and 2012, successfully implemented and commissioned a cassava processing cottage industry in Odosimadegun in Ijebu North-East Local Government; a food processing cottage shed at Atan, also in Ijebu North-East; cassava processing cottage industry at Okelemo in Ewekoro Local Government and a solar-powered borehole at Okun Owa community in Odogbolu Local Government.
“The foundation this year, is implementing a poultry value chain enterprise development project. This will include the establishment of poultry farms in each of the three senatorial districts of the state over a period of three years, provision of inputs, training and market linkages for beneficiaries of the project.
“We intend to establish cassava value chain development project in Ilugun, Ijebu North Local government area of the state,” she said.
Responding, Bimbo Ashiru, Ogun State commissioner of commerce and industry, tasked the trainees to leverage Bank of Industry and Ogun State government N1 billion MSMEs loan for actualization and practicability of learned business idea development and agriculture-based entrepreneurial skills, saying the government could not wait to key into the scheme.
Ashiru, whose ministry directly partnered BATNF on “Start-Up Ogun Youth Enterprise Training, said that the state government would build on the initiative of BATNF in wealth creation and employment generation through economic engagement of jobless youths in the state, adding that the BATNF enterprise initiative would go a long way in straightening government economic plans as regards agriculture and industrialisation.
“Not everybody will do white-collar job; you can use internal creativity to become who you want to be in life. You could see the business plan presentations they did today. Six groups, they presented different vocations and businesses, and you would see that are being creative and innovative. Though I know that funding may be key, however, things like that will be sorted out at the end,” he said.
RAZAQ AYINLA
