Youth in agriculture’ll Boost Mass Job Creation in Nigeria

NaijaAgroNet:

 

With the recent focus on youths in agriculture, experts have agreed that the huge potential in agriculture will boost mass job creation in Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This was the position of South West Regional Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) Dr Lekan Quadri at the three-day business training for young entrepreneurs in agriculture, held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan.

Lekan who stood in for the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, made inferences to the links between youth unemployment and the opportunities of an agrarian economy, which he said, could provide the biggest potential for mass job creation, NaijaAgroNet learnt.

Over the years, he said, getting youths in Nigeria to engage in agriculture has been an uphill task. The reasons, NaijaAgroNet gathered, are obvious, stressing that farming, as it is practised in the country, has not been seen as an attractive venture, just as the condition of those who engage in it has been most discouraging.

“However, the tide is changing. It has become obvious that the youths must be given a pride of place if Nigeria and Africa want to create business opportunities for the unemployed,” he said.

NaijaAgroNet further gathered that over 60 youth from six countries across Africa attended the business training aimed at empowering agripreneurs on “Agripreneural and Business Management.”
 
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e-Agriculture, solution to world food crises

NaijaAgroNet:

 A forum co-convened by the United Nations (UN’s) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has hinted that guidelines to improve the application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in agriculture, NaijaAgroNet learnt.

This according to FAO officials have gains which could bring innovation in agricultural technology, ensure more efficient food production, mitigate food losses and attract the younger generation to become successful farmers – are close at hand,

FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, Hiroyuki Konuma, told NaijaAgroNet in a press statement that the applications of validated e-Agriculture processes will be a great addition to innovative agricultural production, attract young generation in agriculture and help safeguard farmers from losses, especially small holders.

“These applications could range from a farmer using a smart phone to scan the barcode of a packet of certified seeds – something that could ensure quality and a fair price, to the installation of low-cost sensors at the village-level for hyper local weather information. The lack of available and correct information at the right time and in the right format is a major obstacle to many activities along the traditional agricultural value chain and this is something that e-Agriculture could help address efficiently,” he said.

Konuma also told NaijaAgroNet during the opening of an “e-Agriculture Stakeholders Consultation” attended by government officials and researchers, primarily from Asia, Africa and Near East to the three day event in the Thai capital, pointed out that the finalization of the e-Agriculture Strategy Guide and its applications for national context is ongoing.

“Countries have tried to implement e-Agriculture solutions in isolation,” Konuma pointed out. “This guide provides valuable guidelines and offers a template to implement sustainable e-Agriculture services.” Concerns over food losses due to natural disasters, or lack of timely information during planting or harvesting, along with increased pressure for food traceability – all offer entry points for the application of proven ICT interventions in agriculture

Konuma added the e-Agriculture Stakeholders Consultation is co-convened by FAO, ITU and CTA – the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation

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Nnaemego targets 10,000 youth-led farms

NaijaAgroNet:

A legal practitioner, and Chief Executive Officer of Fresh and Young Brains Development Initiative, Barrister Nkiru Nnaemego, has said that her organization is targeting about 10,000 farms which will be managed by youths, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Speaking to NaijaAgroNet, she stated that there is huge potential in agriculture especially considering the fact that research has shown that 2030 will mark the beginning of global decline in oil and that  British Council’s Next Generation Report 2010 indicated that Nigerian youths will be the greatest resource of Nigerian economy.

As one of those who benefitted from Fund for Agricultural Financing in Nigeria(FAFIN),a federal government financial assistance to farmers, she intends to invest massively in programmes whose targets are the youths. 

“I am honoured to be among the 27 Nagropreneurs that received the initial grant from the presidency through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) under the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP),” she said.

Nnaemego disclosed her plans to invest the funds in the Youth Farm (YFarm) Incubation (One Stop) Centre for African Youth in Agribusiness. 

“This centre will provide online and onsite certificate courses in agribusiness, host a culinary school, agro-processing/packaging plant and an integrated farm for livestock, aqua-culture and crop production,” she said.

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Climate change: NEA conducts GIS training in The Gambia

NaijaAgroNet:

The National Environmental Agency (NEA) has concluded a two-day training on the Global Information System (GIS), a climate change project (PARCC) at Baobab Hotel, The Gambia, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The aim of the project, NaijaAgroNet learnt, is to assess the vulnerability of protected areas in West Africa and impact of climate change in view of enhancing resilience by developing strategies and tools to improve effectiveness management in climate change. The JEF-fund project executed by UNEP-WCMC in partnership with (IUCN PACO) has been in operation since 2010.

NaijaAgroNet also learnt that the project covers five core countries in West Africa, namely The Gambia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Chad and Togo. Bukina Faso, Cote Divoire and Ghana are also benefiting from certain components of the project, information further revealed.

"It is indisputable that conservation is the key in sustainable development, especially in our environment that has not been constantly and properly managed. It is interesting to know that research has shown that more than 13 percent of the global land surface is designated as "protected area," Minister Jarju stated.

"We are aware that the West African region contains a high level of biodiversity and endemic species across multiple areas. This region is also projected to experience extreme climate change in the future," he stated. He said the government of The Gambia was fully aware of the achievements that PARCC project registered in the past year, and these achievements include preparation of a report on projected impacts of climate change on biodiversity in West Africa Protected Area in which impact on reptiles, birds, mammal has been highlighted.

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Islamic cleric in Police net for raping, infects 13 students with HIV/AIDS

NaijaAgroNet:

The Nigeria Police has confirm the arrest of an Islamic cleric who is now cooling off in its custody for raping and infecting some 13 students with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) reports NaijaAgroNet.

HIV is a lentivirus that causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive, according to Wikipedia.com.

NaijaAgroNet reports that the Islamic cleric, names withheld is attached to the Tappare Ganye Community Islamic center, Ganye Local Government Area.

According to the information received, the Islamic teacher is alleged to have raped some of his students and infecting them with HIV/AIDS.

Police spokesman, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Othman Abubakar said the suspect is now helping the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in investigation.

He also said that as soon as investigations were completed, the suspect will be charged to court and he invited those who wish to make a case against the suspect to come forward adding that for now only one case has been lodged.

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