160 student-farmers, including 25 girls, started their training in agricultural entrepreneurship at Songhai Centre on Saturday 3 January. The ceremony marking the official start of this batch – the 54th batch of student farmers– was held inside Songhai Centre in Porto Novo. In attendance were relatives and friends of learners, as well as staff of Songhai Training Department. Fr Godfrey Nzamujo also enhanced the ceremony with its presence. It was an opportunity for the Director of the center to remind the audience the benefits of this training in agricultural entrepreneurship, which fits prominently in the vision of the President of Benin and enjoys his support. He also reassured parents about the promising future of their children after the training. “We practice smart agriculture, which takes into account the challenges of the future” said Fr Nzamujo before specifying that such agriculture can only help the entrepreneur prosper as it will make him to be sought after for his expertise. But before arriving there, new student-farmers will have to show all their availability and willingness to acquire knowledge and skills, which will transform the precious key that will transform their entire existence according to the Director.
Following Fr Nzamujo, Messrs Justin Lekoto and Martin Voglozin have largely explained to the assistance the outline of the training that will last eighteen months, but will also be followed by a phase called application. It is at the end of two and a half years that the student is confirmed as an agricultural entrepreneur training at Songhai Centre. Finally, after the usual formalities, a guided tour of the center helped parents to discover the activities on Songhai site in Ouando.
It should be noted that among the 160 students, 20 will be sent to Songhai Savalou site; 70 will be distributed on other sites in central Benin after the discovery phase in Porto-Novo and the other 70 remaining will continue their training here in Porto-Novo.
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