The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, has officially launched the North-West regional office of the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) in Kaduna. The inauguration is part of the Federal Government's agricultural transformation agenda, aimed at providing necessary training to rural farmers to enhance food production.

Dr. Abubakar emphasized that the institute would contribute to the ministry's objective of ensuring food security in crops, livestock, and fisheries. Recognizing the significant role played by rural farmers, who account for 70 percent of food production in Nigeria, the minister expressed the government's commitment to replicate the training institute in all 36 states of the federation.

Mr. Olufemi Oladunni, the Executive Director of ARMTI, appealed for additional funding to enable the institute to effectively carry out its mandate. He highlighted the challenge of managing four campuses and sites with the budgetary provision allocated to only one entity. While expressing gratitude for the government's support, Oladunni stressed that increased funding would allow the institute to have a greater impact and contribute to the development of Nigeria's agricultural sector through capacity building.

Oladunni also mentioned that the institute had obtained approval to expand its reach, leading to the establishment of regional training centers in all the geopolitical zones of the country. He highlighted the successful launch of two centers prior to the inauguration of the North-West regional office. These regional training centers are designed to provide training programs for trainers within each zone and develop methodologies and learning materials to enhance agricultural training.

In summary, the launch of the North-West regional office of ARMTI in Kaduna signifies the government's commitment to agricultural development and capacity building for rural farmers, with plans to replicate such training institutes nationwide. The aim is to enhance food security and strengthen Nigeria's agricultural sector through improved training and knowledge dissemination.