KATSINA — Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has approved a ₦1 million take-off package for each of 361 agripreneurs who graduated from the second batch of the Dikko Radda Agripreneurship Training and Empowerment Scheme-Songhai (DRATESS-Songhai).
Radda announced the package on Thursday at the graduation ceremony for trainees of the Makera Songhai Comprehensive Agricultural Training Centre, Dutsinma, held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Katsina.
Under the arrangement, each graduate will receive an initial ₦500,000, while the remaining ₦500,000 will be disbursed in phases based on the establishment and performance of viable agribusiness enterprises.
The governor described the graduation as more than a certificate presentation, saying it marked the acquisition of knowledge and practical skills and the creation of opportunities for young people to participate in the transformation of agriculture.
“Today is not merely a certificate presentation ceremony. It is a celebration of knowledge acquired, skills developed, confidence built and opportunities created,” Radda said.
He said agriculture should be viewed not only as food production but also as a business, profession and investment opportunity capable of contributing to economic transformation.
According to him, his administration is working to establish a productive, climate-smart, market-oriented and innovation-driven agricultural system, with DRATESS-Songhai providing young people with practical training in crop production, livestock, fisheries, agro-processing, renewable energy, waste recycling and agribusiness.
Radda also announced plans to upgrade and expand the Makera Songhai Centre to accommodate up to 1,000 trainees at a time.
He urged the graduates to use their training and financial support to establish enterprises capable of creating jobs, rather than waiting for government employment.
“I want to see some of the next Dangotes coming from you. Think beyond small businesses. Build enterprises that will create jobs and transform communities,” he told the graduates.
The governor added: “Do not frame your certificates and wait for government jobs. Convert your skills into enterprises and your enterprises into opportunities for others.”
Radda said one of the major challenges before the administration was transforming the state’s agricultural resources into sustainable economic opportunities, urging the beneficiaries to contribute to that process.
“I want to see you transform farms into businesses, businesses into industries and industries into opportunities for our people,” he said.
He assured the graduates of continued linkage to financial institutions, investors, markets and development programmes, while encouraging them to sustain cooperative societies as a means of improving access to finance and markets.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the Agricultural Development Programmes Unit (ADPU), Dr Suleiman Umar, said DRATESS-Songhai was designed to provide a practical pathway from training to enterprise development, income generation and job creation.
“DRATESS-Songhai is more than a training programme; it is an investment in human capital, food security, agricultural productivity and the economic future of Katsina State,” Umar said.
He disclosed that 361 youths graduated from the second batch, following a pilot phase involving 102 beneficiaries, while another 361 trainees are currently undergoing the programme.
The six-month training combines classroom instruction with practical sessions and provides participants with accommodation, three meals daily, sports and recreational facilities, as well as a ₦30,000 monthly stipend.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Aliyu Lawal Shargalle, commended the governor for investing in practical agricultural training and youth empowerment, describing DRATESS-Songhai as a strategic initiative for developing skilled manpower, modernising agriculture and strengthening food security.
The Director-General of the Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA), Dr Babangida Ruma, pledged the agency’s continued partnership with the scheme.
Ruma also assured the beneficiaries that KASEDA would facilitate the registration of their businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to strengthen their access to finance and markets.
Speaking on behalf of the graduating trainees, Hamza Yahaya and Fatima Babangida thanked the state government for providing practical training, accommodation, feeding, stipends and other support.
They pledged to apply the knowledge and skills acquired to establish productive enterprises and contribute to the economic development of Katsina State.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Governor Malam Faruk Lawal Jobe; Head of Service, Alhaji Murtala Banye; Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir; members of the State Executive Council; heads of ministries, departments and agencies; and traditional and religious leaders.
