NDE Flags-Off Sustainable Agricultural Development Empowerment Scheme In Oyo
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In a bid to boost food production and sustain the fight against unemployment in Nigeria, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has kicked-off the disbursement of loans to the Nine-teen (19) beneficiaries of its Sustainable Agricultural Development Empowerment Scheme (SADES) in Oyo State.
Speaking on behalf of the NDE Director General, Mallam Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo, at the flag- off ceremony in Ibadan, the State Coordinator, NDE Oyo State, Mrs, Steve-Ogundipe Olayinka, explained that the agency has commenced the disbursement of loans to Two Hundred and Twenty -eight (228) beneficiaries under the 2023 SADES scheme. 
The Director General noted that prospective participants were drawn from the pool of its Rural Agricultural Employment Promotion trained beneficiaries in the twelve States across the federation and that a total sum of twenty-two million, eight hundred thousand (N22,800,000) Naira will be disbursed to beneficiaries in those 12 states.
The SADES Loans scheme according to the D.G was designed to enable beneficiaries set up and manage small scale agricultural enterprises in their chosen areas of interest to become self-reliant, create wealth and generate employment opportunities for others.
He therefore advised the beneficiaries to see the gesture as a rare opportunity which should not be allowed to fail. 
Also speaking, the Director, Rural Employment Promotions (REP) Engr. Edem Duke, who who was represented by Mrs. Dupe Johnpaul, at the event said the scheme would create employment and generate wealth which will go a long way towards reducing the number of unemployed persons in the country.
He added that a total of One Hundred Thousand Naira ( N100,000.00) each will be disbursed to each beneficiary who has successfully completed his or her training in modern methods of sustainable agriculture. 
He pointed out that sustainable agriculture prioritizes natural and renewable resources and assured that the NDE SADES scheme would provide more profitable farm income, promote less pressure on the environment and enhance the quality of life for the participants. 
The head of REP department, NDE Oyo State, Mr. Kabir Adedoja, noted that beneficiaries of the programme have been trained on methods of sustainable farming and economic profitability and charged them to ensure they pay back their loans on time to enable others to also benefit from the scheme.
