WATEA Program: Oyo State and France Unite to Revolutionize Agribusiness Training

On Sunday, July 7, 2024, Dr. Sonia Darracq, Regional Counsellor for Agriculture at the Embassy of France in Nigeria, along with Rachid Benlafquih, Program Manager for Africa, and William Gex, Coordinator for Nigeria from the French Ministry of Agriculture, paid a courtesy visit to Governor Seyi Makinde at the state house in Ibadan.

The delegation is on a working visit to Oyo State as part of the French Government’s initiative to execute an agribusiness technical skills program titled Women in Agricultural Technical Education and Apprenticeship in Nigeria (WATEA). This program aims to enhance agricultural education and provide practical skills to women in agribusiness.

WATEA is currently being implemented in six states across Nigeria, including Oyo State, where the training is conducted at the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology (OYSCATECH) in Igbo-Ora. Approximately 600 students from OYSCATECH are receiving hands-on training and opportunities for internships and apprenticeships within the agribusiness industry.

During the visit, discussions led to the inclusion of the LAUTECH College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources in Iseyin in the WATEA training program. This addition will allow students and teachers from the participating schools to be part of an exchange program with institutions in France, fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange.

The visit underscores the commitment of both the Oyo State Government and the French Government to improve agricultural education and create more opportunities for practical learning and professional development in the agribusiness sector.

Governor Seyi Makinde expressed his appreciation for the French Government’s support and highlighted the importance of such collaborations in driving the state’s agricultural development and economic growth.