Abia State To Adopt Science Agenda And Support 150 Youths In ARIFA

The Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has pledged to adopt Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa (S3A) which is within the context of FARA’s Holistic Empowerment for Livelihoods Program (HELP). It is a holistic model driven by the global partnership to deliver livelihood by leveraging the South-South & Triangular Cooperation (SSTC).

This new development was made known by Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu on 24th September 2019, when Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, the Executive Director of FARA, paid him an official visit in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State.

During the visit, FARA offered its network of experts to support the state’s attempt at transforming and diversifying its economy using its Innovation to Impact Pathways, by taking advantage of the entrepreneurial potentials of the state.

While receiving a strategy document dubbed ‘Abia Agripreneurs’ which was developed by FARA, in which strategic commodities (cassava, ugu, tomato, plantain, and poultry) are prioritized for developing an action plan aligned to HELP, Dr. Ikpeazu thanked FARA and promised to give all the required help in executing the arrangement. It is normal that the system will usher in New Cassava for Economic Development in Abia State (NCEDA) and support the training of at least 150 Abians in FARA’s capacity development program-ARIFA, in the next 3 years.

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Mr. Endi Ezengwa, the Coordinator of Education for the Employment (E4E) initiative, indicated that the opportunity for partnership with FARA represents one of the converging points in the agricultural sector, where the state already houses the biggest cattle market In Nigeria. This is also the vehicle through which key interventions in Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) as outlined in this document, may be implemented.