By Abdulrahman Abdullahi
Professor of Agriculture, Emmanuel Ikani has stressed the need for urgent incorporation of Nigerian youths into mechanized agriculture through government policies.
Prof. Ikani, who is the Executive Director, National Agricultural Extension Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Zaria made the call while addressing the 30,000 young Nigerians whom are beneficiaries of As Young Africa Works and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) training held in Zaria on Monday.
He said Nigeria cannot move forward until agriculture is fixed.
Professor Ikani maintained that the country does not need 70 per cent of its population to be in agriculture before it feeds itself and exports, but a sizeable number with the right skills and modern farming technology.
According to him, “Before independence, agriculture was the bedrock of our economy, with Cocoa from South, groundnut pyramid in the North and palm kernels, palm oil and rubber from the East and the economy was booming and was even the best in Africa.
“But, when we discovered oil, we ran into trouble and abandoned agriculture; we stopped putting our money where our mouth is, and that is why agriculture remains where it is today, hoe and cutlasses.
“Today, we have over 70 per cent of our population, our adult force in agriculture.
“This is not only wrong, it is an indication that we are not doing things right; a job that, only five people should do, 75 people are doing it and we are still where we are.
“Elsewhere like in America, only about four to five per cent of the population is into agriculture and they are feeding the nation and still exporting.
“So, if we must get it right, we have to do agriculture as a business.
“We should not be doing agriculture with hoes and cutlasses at this age.
“This is the reason it becomes imperative to bring in youths and train them in the modern farming techniques, because this is the only way we can change the narrative, as youths have the tendency of embracing new things, unlike the old people who always want to insist on the traditional ways of doing things.
“If we do this, the country will be better for it,” he said.
He however called on the governments at all levels, to ensure that, their budgets for agriculture trickle down to the main business of agriculture and adopt deliberate policies towards bringing youths into mechanized agricultural practices.
