FG Advocates Policies To Attract Youths To Agriculture

The federal government through the minister of agriculture and rural development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has said that there is need to make huge investment in agriculture which will in turn attract youths into the sector.

The minister who stated this at a National Workshop on a New Agricultural Policy for Nigeria, organised by the National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria (NAFN), also lamented the low participation of rural dwellers who are supposed to embark on agriculture to feed the nation and increase the nation's gross domestic product (GDP).

In his words, "There are those who estimate that by 2025 our population will stand at 450 million, making Nigeria the third most populated country on the planet earth, but what is more worrisome is that 75 per cent of this huge population will be living in cities while 25 per cent only will be in the rural areas. Can the 25 per cent feed themselves and the city dwellers? Yes, we if can hasten to lift agriculture to the level of India, China, and Thailand, not to mention the nations of Western Europe.

"To get to that level, we need to make huge investments in land preparation, machinery, seed improvement, farmer education, and encouragement or enticement of younger people into the agricultural terrain".

In his welcome address, the chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said that agriculture must be born again in order to end our national shame.

"A nation that depends on other nations for its feeding has no right call itself independent. Agriculture must be born again in our country in order to end our national shame. Nigeria has close to 80 per cent of arable land, yet it is a massive net importer of food and other agricultural produce because our peasant farmers are still tilling the earth they inherited from their forefathers with obsolete farming implements," he said.

Adamu, however, said that there was the need to create a forum to encourage a constant dialogue between farmers and the ministry in formulating agricultural rebirth policies. He also suggested a clear policy on procurement and sale of fertiliser at the right time during the farming season.

 Source Leadership.ng

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N/Delta: Chevron, IITA partner to train 40 youths in agriculture

A female farmer

Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL)and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, had concluded arrangement to train 40 youths from the Niger Delta region in agriculture.

Mr Deji Haastrup, General Manager, Government and Public Affairs of Chevron, disclosed this on Thursday in Warri at an event to kick-start the programme.

Haastrup said that the youths would be trained on aquaculture, cassava, plantain, banana production and processing.

He said the programme tagged ''Agropreneurship'' would offer an opportunity for large scale employment leading to self-reliance.

"The pilot programme incorporates young people from the Egbema-Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation and the Itsekiri Regional Development Committee.

"Other parties that are collaborating with CNL and IITA are the Delta Government and the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND)," he said.

Haastrup said the current programme would gulp about N188million.

He said that CNL would continue to support the people of Niger Delta with a view to making life meaningful for them.

Mrs Clementina Arubi, representative of the General Manager, NNPC-NAPIMS, stressed the need for economic diversification through other ventures, especially agriculture rather than over-dependence on oil.

Also, Mr Michael Johnny, Chairman Egbema-Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation, in his remarks, commend the effort of the parties that organised the agricultural programme.

He, however, solicited for scholarship for the people as part of the initiatives to widen their horizon.

Source Credits ::: PM News

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