I am Adesida Oluwafisayo Temitade, a Master’s degree holder in Zoology (fisheries). I currently work as a team leader in agricultural finance for a national microfinance institution in Nigeria. I am 34 years of age, and I reside in Abuja (Federal Capital Territory).
It was on a hot Tuesday in February of this year when I visited a small village called Abuja in the Kuje area of the FCT. It was the usual process of carrying out pre-disbursement training for smallholder farmers who were hoping to access agricultural credit for the next farming season.
While I was approaching the location where the training was supposed to be held, four young people walked up to me, seeking some money to enable them buy food. The expression on their faces showed hunger and desperation. I quickly obliged them their request and started questioning them.
It dawned on me that there is a need to bring this vulnerable group out of poverty. However, it cannot be by continuous provision of money to them, but by direct development of skills that they can use to make money for themselves.
During the training I took the discussion further than I usually did. I asked why there are many idle youth in the village, and the response was not encouraging. Many of them are financially excluded and vulnerable and have no money to further their education. Furthermore, many of them would prefer to be empowered by learning a skill.
The crop farming these youth practice is seasonal, and as such after they sell their products they spend all their saved funds to survive during the off season. They reserve just enough for the next farming season, meaning nothing is left over for them.
I approached the village council and informed them I would love to train their youth on aquaculture management (catfish hatchery, management and market linkage). I explained that this activity would guarantee that they have sufficient funds all year round, even during the off season.
It was agreed that each family should nominate one young person to benefit from the training. I started collecting data and information for each participant and have now contacted and paid the consultant that will be providing the training service to 30 of them. The targeted group is expected to use the skill acquired to generate year-round funds that will help sustain their families even during the off seasons for farming.
The production cycle for breeding to fingerlings is 2months, which guarantees 6 cycles within a year. Every production cycle is expected to produce a minimum of 10,000 fingerlings, which can be sold at N15 each. At this price the producer is guaranteed N150,000 every 2 months, or USD $480.
Each participant will be provided with a week-long training on how to breed African Catfish (Heterobranchus sp. or Clarias sp.) and a hands-on practical for another 2months to ensure the success of the process. Afterward they will be empowered with the relevant tools to carry out these processes individually and as a group.
The success of this project will give me opportunity to fulfill my personal longtime dream of supporting financial inclusion and growth for vulnerable young people. As an agricultural financial service provider I feel there is need to do more for this population at the base of the economic pyramid.
For the project to be successful the following has to be done:
- Candidates will be recruited and registered.
- A fishery consultant will be engaged and paid to provide the training on production and marketing.
- All tools required for the hands-on practical will be purchased.
- All participants will be provided tools after training to start up their business.
- Participants will be linked to markets after every successful production cycle.
- All successful trainees will be engaged to provide further consultancy services for youths in other vulnerable communities.
The expected outcomes for the community include financial inclusion with multiple sources of income, community development through sustainable diversification of activities and happier and less vulnerable youth.
For the project to be successful there is need to have a good source of water and a good location for a hatchery laboratory where all the beneficiaries can come in to carry out their business. After the first successful hatch and sale, they can make enough money to re-invest it into the business.
Because they are the pioneer beneficiaries they will also be given the opportunity to continue as consultants to train youths in other vulnerable communities, guaranteeing additional income.
Utilization of the funds
$2,700 is required to construct a hatchery laboratory (wooden building finished within a month), with 15 incubators and 15 grow-out ponds, aerators, solar powered heater, and brood stocks.
$200 will be required for consultancy services (training and capacity building for one week).
$60 per participant will be required to empower30 youth with the hatchery kit and brood stock ($1800 total) within 2 months.
$300 will be used for logistics and database configuration, with the first disbursement for construction, the second for training and empowerment, and the third for logistics and database configuration during an additional month.
The project is expected to run between April – August.
I believe this project will help to improve the vulnerability of the youth in this category. It will also help to diversify their source of income, reduce poverty and provide year-round subsistence for their families. It is a project that can also be replicated in other vulnerable communities.
Blogpost and picture submitted by Adesida Temitade (Abuja, Nigeria) – princ3e2003[at]yahoo.com
Illustration courtesy: Arne Hoel (World Bank)
The content, structure and grammar is at the discretion of the author only.
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it is a good idea .it will help small holding farmers to diversify to another source of income and will keep them busy during their off season.
Yes the idea is to help them have mulitple strings of income. This will also guarantee easy access to credit from financial institutions
This is quite interesting.
Great proposal. I believe it would go a long way in helping youths not just in that locality but also those around the axis. It could also go as far as the entire state and the whole country. Fish farming is very lucrative and you gain three time your investment according to my research provided you are well informed about the processes. Fish farming market can be divided into three categories. From selling the fingerling from the hatchery farm to selling adult fish at the fish rearing farm and also to selling in packaged form as frozen fishes. I believe this is a great idea and should be put into consideration of investment.
Thank you. The success of this project will definitely bring more innovation and understanding to this sector.
Brilliant work. Keep it up.
Thank you!
It’s a very good project that will help the less privileged. Hope our government will see such a project to help reduce unemployment rate.
We are trying to bring it to their table… but a good sample will speak better. and this is one!
we need more projects like this to salvage our idle youths from unemployment and poverty#teach me how to Fish#
Yes. It guarantees all year round income.
A good approach to financial independence. Please, encourage more female participants.
yes female are the most vulnerable, and we have them also coming out to join.
an antidote to the ever nagging problem of unemployment & poverty.
With this we will be slowing down the rural – urban migration, in search of nothing.. because in the urban centers there are no jobs, our cities are saturated with cheap labour.
Brilliant ideas. If our government, private individual can look toward this direction poverty will be a thing of the past and our youth will be empower and the nation will be good for it
Yes. financial inclusion, will help to solve a lot of socio economic problems created by our leaders.
this idea is laudable. we need to support this more even in other vulnerable locations… All the best
Yes. we are replicating this concept in other communities, which we have already identified.
@ Mr Adesida, I fink we shall not despise the little beginning of this program, as I strongly buy into it and consider it workable and lucrative. I however hope this gesture is exported beyond Abuja sububs to other local communities around the nation with unemployed young people. Bravo!!
Yes. the long term goal, is to help the economically active poor population be more financially included. this means expansion to other states and local governments.
Great idea! doable and achieveable, considering the nutritional value of fish, this is quite impressive!
Yes, thanks
Let’s get this done and expand to other localities over time. Kudos
This is the only way the nation can move forward, good idea,but ensure a better execution if this idea in order to reach the art goals. Bless you brother.
Okay…. Execution will ensure community involvement to guarantee success. Because the long term effect is to bring individuals and their families out of poverty.
This is a very good idea which needs all the necessary support.
Yes.. Thanks
Great one!
I can see passion.
Keep it up and let’s go Agric!
Thanks.
This project is an eye opener for everybody. Helping the needy in such a manner is very key. Two things are involved : empowerment and skill acquisition. This is a good one…keep it up!
yes…. Skills that will make them less reliant on government.
It’s a very good idea. It will help reduce unemployment rate. Our government need to encourage such project.
We need to look at other areas of development. Not focusing on petroleum only. Now that the petroleum industry has crashed I think it’s high time we look at agricultural industry. Nigeria is a blessed country. We just need to improve in our technology to preserve our agricultural products. We can be making dry fish and export it, if is well preserved. We can do alot. Good idea Mr. Fisayo. Keep the good work going
Thank you
This a lucrative idea for the youths. Nice one brother
Thank you
This is the solution we’ll been waiting for, nice proposal.
Wishing you the best in future endeavours.
Thank you. We must be proactive in providing solutions.
Thank you! we can always be innovative and bring the true change we desire.
Yes..
Nice one boss. A good one to help curb unemployment problems in the country. The agricultural sector has not been effectively tapped and thats one of what we have left in our dear nation. Tnks boss for the reminder.
We all need to be purpose driven and focused to achieve a lot more for our communities
Nice one.
Thanks
This is actually a practicable idea that will help to eradicate poverty amongst our people. Good project.
Thanks, project implementation and funding is key
This project is loudable and practicable. Sustainable abf achieveable. I think its a good one
Thank you folake, we can transform our rural environment through sustainable projects
This is a prime idea to keep the teaming idle youths productive and empowered!
There are idle youths everywhere that need empowerment and laudable ideas such as this will prevent them from navigating the inevitable Bermuda Triangle!
Yes apostle. If some of the youths in the north east were gainfully occupied, they will pay less attention to the cries of destruction and crime being echoed by insurgents.
Interesting.. Great we are having such a sound idea coming at this time of economic difficulty in Nigeria. We have a youthful and teaming population ready to work. With a community service based initiatives like this a huge number will be empowered and rely less on the failing government.