(Ecofin Agency) - In Senegal, Amar Holding plans on training 1,600 youth to agricultural machinery. Explaining the reasons behind the initiative, Serigne Hamadou, the group’s secretary general, told APS at the Paris International Agriculture Tradefair (SIA): “Senegal lacks machinists. It’s a fact that people are not aware of. Usually, agriculturists are the one who become agricultural machinists”.

The executive also said the project which would cost FCFA300 million, will be implemented in partnership with local technical institutions. “We signed a convention with the Pétavin High School and next we will extend it to other high schools, in order to produce the first HNC holders-agricultural machinists. More than 80% of the graduates will do an internship with us and we will recruit all of them because we are in need of these skills,” he added.

The 1,600 youth will be picked from all of the country’s agro-ecological zones and the training is to last 20 weeks.

Aaron Akinocho