SONGHAI RIVERS INITIATIVE TO START OFFERING DIPLOMA CERTIFICATE IN AGRICULTURE.

SONGHAI RIVERS INITIATIVE TO START OFFERING DIPLOMA CERTIFICATE IN AGRICULTURE.

The Songhai Rivers Initiative's Agric Training College will start awarding Diploma Certificate in Agriculture soon, according to information obtained at the end of an engagement session between the leadership of Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) and University of Port Harcourt. This is part of the Rivers State Government's agenda to boost agriculture in the state, the Executive Director of RSSDA, Mr Lawrence Pepple told our correspondent.

According to Mr Pepple: "The Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) has identified a critical gap in middle-level manpower required to drive and sustain emerging agribusiness opportunities."

"To this end, the Agency is currently discussing with University of Port Harcourt to explore ways of establishing a diploma programme in agric & agro -allied studies in the Songhai Rivers Initiative Centre."

Located in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, the center, which is the biggest of all Songhai Centers in Africa, currently serves as a hub for all agri-businesses and agro-allied initiatives, eco-tourism, related research and development in Sub-Sahara Africa, having attained the status of a regional center for excellence.

The 1st level partnership engagement of this collaborative effort between the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency and the University of Port Harcourt, took place at the Songhai Center on March 4, 2016. The high power delegations were led by Prof Ndowa Sunday Lale, Vice Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, and Mr Lawrence Pepple, Executive Director of RSSDA. The key deliverable of this collaboration is the successful launch of a credible diploma certificate training programme in practical agriculture in Rivers State.

This timely intervention is expected to help build and sustain the required middle-level manpower in agriculture in the state and beyond.

The teams equally strengthened an MoU on Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) between both institutions.

While on a facility tour of the Center, the delegation also witnessed the ongoing harvesting of broodstock fishes to be used for reproduction and restocking.

*Eze-Basil Chinwendu

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