TheCable

The federal government has inaugurated the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) in Kaduna.

Speaking during the inauguration on Monday, Mohammad Abubakar, minister of agriculture and rural development, said the initiative was part of the government’s efforts to train rural farmers and improve food production.

Abubakar said the institute would help in achieving food security, adding that rural farmers would undergo training that would make them support the country with 70 percent of food production.

He added that the government would work toward establishing similar institutes across the 36 states.

Also speaking, Olufemi Oladunni, executive director of ARMTI, said more funding was needed for the smooth running of the institute.

Oladunni said the funds released for a particular purpose were being used to manage four campuses and sites.

“Our rural development initiative alone has been transforming communities all over the nation but our major limitation is funding. I wish to state that ARMTI requires more funding so that it can do more,” NAN quoted Oladunni as saying.

“It is due to the resilience and resourcefulness deployed that the budgetary provision released for one entity is being used to run four campuses and sites. And, we are launching another one today.

He said the institute had received approval to expand, adding that regional training centres have been opened in all geopolitical zones.

“I am glad that we are launching the north-west regional office today because two are already up and running,” he added.

“ARMTI’s drive to ensure the development of the Nigerian agricultural sector led to seeking ways to spread our impacts farther and wider.

“This led to putting up an additional component in our Abuja regional training and conference facility.

“It’s a 27-room hostel facility which was inaugurated and commissioned by the minister in 2022.”