The Managing Director, Kogi State Agricultural Development Project (ADP), Alhaji Bello George Ogirima has stressed the importance of training and retraining for agricultural officers for improve performance.
Bello made the remark at the ongoing three days training for agricultural extension agents organized by the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development in collaboration with Kogi State ADP in Lokoja .
He said, since most of the extension agent workers are retiring from service, there is need to train fresh ones to avoid vacuum in extension service delivering to farmers .
He urged the trainees to take the training seriously to enable them give the necessary guide to our rural farmers who are mostly illiterates.
In his remark, the representative of the minister of agriculture and rural development Mr Ayuba Shegeman , said the federal government through the ministry of agriculture is determined to provide the needed manpower to enhance self reliance and sufficiency in food production.
He said, the extension agents who are the closest to the farmers in the rural areas can serve as change agents if they are properly trained .
He urged the participants to take the training seriously to enable them gain the relevant knowledge.
The training were in the areas of extension, fishery and livestock.