DG Nteranya Sanginga and Chiji Chinedum Ojukwu from the African Development Bank (AfDB) recently met with His Excellency, Hon. Augustin Matata Mpoyo, the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, for a briefing on the Youth Agripreneurship Program which AfDB will finance.
DG Nteranya Sanginga (right) and the DRC Prime Minister (center)
The Prime Minister spoke very highly of newly elected AfDB President Akin Adesina, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nigeria, calling his selection as president as historic and a blessing for the growth of the continent’s agriculture sector and rural development. A farmer, himself, he traced his own humble beginnings from the rural sector and reiterated his government’s commitment to the development of agriculture and the rural space.
According to him, the DRC government had sent a formal request for financing the youth program in agribusiness, and an initial funding for a donor conference to mobilize additional resources for the program. The Prime Minister said that they are upscaling the IITA Youth Agripreneur model and providing credit to graduates to set up their own enterprises after graduating from the incubation platform. He fully endorses the approach and has asked the Bank to accelerate this and to turn commitment into results.
Because of his enthusiasm about the youth program, the prime minister was asked to be a Champion for the Youth Program, which he gladly accepted, to help advocate for the initiative continent-wise.
IITA would be providing support for initiatives that would make a difference in DRC with its abundant potentials.
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