Govt, stakeholders urged to embark on structural transformation of agric sector

Government at all levels and other stakeholders in agricultural sector have been urged to embark on structural transformation of the sector in order to make it attractive to the youth.

The Vice National President of the Agriculture and Allied Employees’ Union of Nigeria (AAEUN), South West zone,  Mr.  Adeusi Moses,  who made this call at the delegate conference of the union, held in Akure, Ondo state capital, also called for the application of the appropriate technology in order to bring the cost of production down in the sector.

He stressed the need to support the youth to engage massively in agriculture and agri-business through right policy environments, access to skills, innovations and right technologies.

“We must address the challenges that disenfranchise youth from agriculture such as low productivity, hardship, low levels of mechanisation and modernisation, lack of rural infrastructure and insufficient local processing and value addition,” he said.

Adeusi noted that non payment of hazard allowance to agricultural professionals by government has made agriculture to be less attractive to the youth

He explained that this will go a long way to enhance the commitment of workers towards developing agriculture in the country and urged government to extend the payment of occupational hazard allowance to agricultural workers in the country

He traced the genesis of the present economic recession confronting the nation to the chronic corruption, wasteful political system, faulty revenue sharing formula, neglect of agricultural sector and the menace of Fulani herdsmen.

I want to call on all other governors in the Southern west states to emulate the Ekiti state governor,  Ayodele Fayose by envying a law to curb the menace of the rampaging Fulani herdsmen that were deliberately using their cows to destroy food crops farms across the South West

“It is by so doing that the desire of the government at revitalising agriculture towards improving agricultural productivity and food sufficiency in Nigeria can be realised.”

Adeusi however called on the newly elected executive of the union to be committed towards the development of agriculture in their various states to ensure food sufficient in the country.

Some of the newly elected officers included: Fabunmi Oluwatuyi (Ondo) Hammed Ademola (Ogun) Onyenwere Marvellinus (Lagos)  Salami Adelani (Oyo),  Bamgbola Kehinde (Osun) and Ojo Francis (Ekiti).