The federal government, in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s (IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), has trained women and youths at the Innovation Clinic in Taraba State. The training was also supported by the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
Irmiya Musa, the VCDP programme coordinator in Taraba, declared the event open on Wednesday in Jalingo. He said the training was crucial to enhancing agribusiness and improving productivity among participants. According to him, the initiative was designed to help participants acquire the skills needed to grow their businesses from small-scale to medium and large-scale enterprises. He reaffirmed Taraba’s commitment to ensuring the programme’s success and sustainability.
Bala Yusuf, SMEDAN’s director in Taraba, described the innovation clinic as a business support platform that helps diagnose challenges faced by entrepreneurs while promoting entrepreneurship development. He noted that the agency remains dedicated to mentoring and supporting the nano business class to expand their ventures. Mr Yusuf advised participants to develop business ideas carefully before starting, stressing that this would help them achieve long-term success.
Ibrahim Aminu, the manager of the Technology Incubation Centre in Jalingo, urged the participants to take advantage of the centre’s facilities to promote and sustain their businesses.
Wiza Baido, head of the Business and Marketing Department of the VCDP, encouraged participants to develop clear business ideologies and streamline their plans. He emphasized the importance of maintaining proper financial records to track profit and loss.
