Owerri Imo State/New York, USA, April 25, 2021:
The Mbaise Policy Roundtable (MPR) has made public its scholarship application form to provide qualified Mbaise candidates the opportunity to participate in a two-week focused training in modern Agriculture techniques and business, at the CSS Integrated Farms in Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
The forms are available on MPR’s website https://mbaisepolicyroundtable.com/trainee-forms from Monday April 26, 2021,
MPR is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with offices in Owerri Imo State, Nigeria and New York, USA, and the CSS Group of Companies is one of the largest mechanized Agribusinesses in Africa, majoring in Agriculture, construction, food processing and packaging, Aviation and Renewable energy.
Commenting on the initiative, the MPR Agriculture Program Director, Lady Akwugo Rowland-Obom said, “the scholarship program is best suited for those already practicing Agriculture, and who desire to know more about advances in Agriculture as a business as well as develop their skills and entrepreneurship for successful Agro business in Mbaise.”
Lady Rowland-Obom further said, “the initial scholarship award, worth over 7 million naira covers accommodation, meals, training materials, tablet, t-shirt, cap, bag, transportation etc, for 23 qualified Mbaise candidates. CSS will sponsor 20 candidates, while the remaining three will be sponsored by an MPR member, Rev. Fr Charles Ufomadu. We are very appreciative of the CSS Group and Rev. Fr Ufomadu for their wonderful gestures and looking forward to more sponsors stepping in to help us reach our goal of training at least two Agriculture practitioners per autonomous community of Mbaise.”
From his perspective as MPR Chief Policy Officer, Mr Chijike Ndukwu added that “this scholarship program was one of several areas of win-win agreements reached with the CSS Group that would facilitate the growth of CSS and fast track Mbaise development into an Agro-based economic powerhouse. There were several other areas of mutual agreement such as strengthening MPR and adopting it as an outlet for Corporate Social Responsibility in Mbaise, designating dedicated in-house navigators at CSS and locally at MPR to handle Agric development inquiries and consultations from Mbaise, establish a customized Agriculture training center or institute in Mbaise, partner with MPR in the ongoing establishment of an Agriculture University in Mbaise, establish a Food Reserve Center, Warehouse and distribution infrastructure in Mbaise”
On the purpose of the focus on Agriculture, the MPR Chairman, Professor Eddie Oparaoji said: “What is often forgotten is that fighting hunger is in itself essential for fighting poverty. Hunger reduces productivity, increases susceptibility to illness, reduces cognitive ability in children and reduces the willingness to undertake risky investments, thus affecting the rate of economic growth. Our goal is simple to educate and motivate our citizens to produce sufficient crops to feed their families, with a surplus to sell, thus meeting food security needs, bringing in an income to move them out of poverty and subsequently spur widespread economic development of Mbaise. The path is clear, we have the tools and resources it’s now time to move.”
MPR is the premier pre-eminent Mbaise Public Policy and Business Advisory Council in the World, focused entirely on the development of Mbaise and Imo State, through the facilitation of financial and in-kind resources, private investments and private public partnerships.
MPR is situated to liaise, partner, and/or collaborate with international entities, the Imo State Government and agencies, and the private sector to produce and advance policies that will fast track Mbaise and Imo State development to a first world status.
