LAGOS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria has decided on plans to train 200,000 youths in the country on seeds production, processing and packaging in its Agricultural Transformation Support Program, Phase one (ATASP-1), an official said Friday.
The training would commence in the first week of February, Haruna Akwashiki, National Coordinator of ATASP-1 said in Abuja, the country's capital.
The program was aimed at closing the demand gap in seeds production, Akwashiki said, noting that the program was also geared toward creating employment and wealth across rice, cassava and sorghum value chains.
He added that ATASP-1 had three components of infrastructure development, commodity value chain development and program management.
The coordinator said ATASP-1 would be implemented over a period of five years in 60 local government areas in Enugu, Anambra, Niger, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano and Jigawa States.
The program will be funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the government with the bank providing 152 million U.S. dollars and 23 million dollars by the government, he said.
ATASP 1 was launched in 2015 as part of efforts by the Federal Government to diversify the economy through agriculture.
