The Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) has trained youth and women in Ondo on fish smoking technology as part of efforts at reducing restiveness and criminality among youths in the country.
Acting Director General of the institute, Dr Yemisi Asagbra, who spoke at the two-day training programme, which took place in Igbara-Oke, Ifelodun local government area of the state, said it was aimed at preserving fish products through value addition for higher financial returns.
Asagbra explained that the broad objective of the training was to use knowledge in addressing the problem of youth unemployment and perennial post-harvest losses in most rural communities by offering technology-based entrepreneurial exposures that would engender enterprise development.
She noted that FIIRO had been very committed at deploying its expertise to support rural industrialization by adding value to agro-commodities of relative economic advantage in the six geo-political zones in Nigeria.
According to her, FIIRO has trained more than 500,000 techno-entrepreneurs across Nigeria through its technology transfer and entrepreneurship development with many of them setting up their own businesses and creating millions of job opportunities.
She urged the 27 participants to make use of the training to improve on their trade and lives.
Similarly, the Southwest coordinator of the institute, Mr Deji Oyediran, said the aim of the training was to ensure that youths in particular and women that are versatile benefit in the Institute’s knowledge in scaling up their businesses so that they could become job creators.
Oyediran added that the FIIRO’s intervention would move the participants higher and better in their fish production.
According to him, FIIRO’s intervention is more needed in creating more jobs so that there will be reduction in youth restiveness and criminalities.
A participant, Mrs Abibat Ogunrinde, a Master’s degree student of the Federal University of Technology Akure, commended the institute for offering in-depth and comprehensive training.
Another participant, Mr Oluwasegun Fagbemile, described the training as interesting and encouraging, adding that it was good for the unemployed to earn a living and be self-reliant.
