Agriculture
Food Security: Experts Woo Youths To Join Agriculture
The Chief Executive Officer, Adbond, Nigeria’s pioneering Agro-to-Home Development Company, Mr Adekoya Oluwagbemiga, has emphasised the need to reawaken the interest of agriculture among youths to boost food production.
Oluwagbemiga said the call became pertinent to ensure food security and food sufficiency in the country.
He said this during a press conference to mark the company’s seventh year anniversary recently in Lagos.
Oluwagbemiga said Nigerians needed to embrace the fact that we were first farmers before any profession.
“We all should go back to promoting agriculture as our backbone in Nigeria.
“The truth is that agriculture from inception is the core profession of Africans and our forefathers that have been the source of our national, corporation, and individual prosperity .
“You can be a medical doctor, you can still own a farm, as a legal practitioner you can still own a farm, as a tech giant owning a farm doesn’t leave you out.
“Owning a farm is a simple task every generation of Africa needs to be part of starting from Nigeria in fulfilling the Nigeria purpose to aid its gross domestic product.
“No farm goes big without starting small and note you don’t have to buy it from Adbond, all you need is just start from where you are”, he said.
He said the company, since its inception, had embarked on initiatives to woo youths to agriculture.
According to him, the company had sensitised 50 people on gardening and global approach in solving food insecurity through its green wealth summit event where they gave out seeds to encourage people.
“Also, we have 2,000 youths employed both directly and indirectly as virtual staff, who work passionately to realise the vision and they remain the backbone of our success.
“We have also successfully awarded 10 outstanding students with lands through our academic excellence award programme, a platform for nurturing talents, learning and encouraging quality education.
“We have successfully empowered the lives of 600 corps members as landowners, which we call villa owners.
“By integrating agriculture and residential development, we not only redefine comfortable living but also pave the way for sustainable and prosperous communities in Africa”, he said.
He continued that the company’s vision and purpose is to promote wealth and unity from Nigeria and Africa.
“Our impact over the years cut across also fulfilling some sustainable development goals in the areas of zero hunger, no poverty, gender equality, quality education and economic growth and empowerment”, Oluwagbemiga added.
On his part, Mr Steven Awoyemi, Director of Agriculture for Adbond, called on governments to support farmers with grants to enable them venture into mechanised farming.
Awoyemi also urged the government to provide farmers with resources to market their produce to avoid wastage and losses.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.
The Niger State Government has mapped out 10,000 hectares of farmland in Gbapo Community of Katcha Local Government Area of the State for smallholder farmers to benefit from the state government’s agricultural intervention programme.
Two thousand out of the 10,000 holders of the farmlands have already received inputs.
At a flag-off ceremony in Yinti Village, the facilitator of the programme, Shinkafan Nupe, Malam Idris Usman Makanta, assured the farmers of increased distributions to the mapped-out ten thousand (10,000) farmlands if farmers respond positively.
He explained that the commencement of the two thousand is to measure the positive response of farmers before obtaining full-scale support.
Malam Makanta stated that this initiative aligns with the farmers’ initial commitment through Niger Foods, whose mission is primarily geared towards establishing efficient and profitable agricultural businesses to support the present administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s quest to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
He also commended Niger Foods for their steadfastness and resilience in the effective implementation of the input financing scheme.
Makanta reiterated the commitment of the State Governor in making judicious use of the arable land in the state.
Shinkafan Nupe, therefore, urged the farmers to support the Governor by using the inputs wisely so that the dream can be actualised.
The Gombe State Government has empowered a total of 573,429 farmers and entrepreneurs under the 4th phase of the GO-CARES programme.
The programme was officially flagged off by Governor Inuwa Yahaya in another major step towards alleviating poverty and supporting the state’s vulnerable populations.
The Governor, while inaugurating the disbursement in Akko Community of Akko Local Government Area, restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of vulnerable citizens in the state.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee on GO- CARES implementation.
“The 4th phase of GO-CARES will directly and indirectly impact a total of 573,429 citizens across the state. Of these, 152,429 individuals will benefit directly through cash transfers, livelihood grants, agricultural inputs, and operational grants to small businesses”, he stated.
The Governor added that, “421,000 people will be indirect beneficiaries through infrastructural projects such as classroom blocks, healthcare facilities, WASH services, and rural infrastructure projects like culverts and drainages”.
Yahaya, reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the state’s most vulnerable citizens are not left behind in the state’s development.
According to him, “Earlier this year, on June 25, 2024, we flagged off the distribution of improved seedlings, fertilizers, and herbicides to less privileged farmers in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area, signaling the commencement of the 4th phase implementation of GO-CARES under Result Area 2”.
The Governor reiterated that these initiatives have had a significant impact on the livelihoods of beneficiaries and the overall agricultural sector.
He explained that, “Today’s ceremony marked the simultaneous launch of activities under all three GO-CARES Result Areas for the 4th phase. These areas include: State Cash Transfer Grants: 2,500 direct beneficiaries; Labour Intensive Public Works: 2,700 direct beneficiaries; Livelihood Grants: 10,000 direct beneficiaries; and Basic Services: 405,000 indirect beneficiaries”.