Prior to the discovery of petroleum in Nigeria, agriculture was the mainstay of the country’s economy. In fact in those days, it is a thing of pride to be a successful farmer. In a bid to have more hands to help them in farming, the men then did marry many wives and bore many children as the general mindset is that children are valuable assets to the success of every farming expedition. Due to the love and pride for agriculture then, parents never had to chase their children to the farms, as the children themselves took pride in the number of lands they were able to cultivate and the number yields their farms produce.
But at the discovery of oil in some parts of the country, the peoples’ love for the farming profession nosedived. Government at all levels in the country shifted their attention to oil that since then has become the mainstay of the country’s economy. But as the status quo is gradually changing due to the fast-dipping rate of oil revenue, attentions are now being shifted back to agriculture. And as one of the federal government agricultural institutions, the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology (FCAHPT) thought it wise to launch the young farmers’ club at the secondary school level in Nigeria.
The first school they visited was the United Missionary Comprehensive College (UMCC), Molete, Ibadan and the aim was simple: to sensitise secondary school students on the importance of agriculture.
Speaking during the club launch on Thursday, the Provost of FCAHPT, Mr. Adekoya Owosibo, noted that the agricultural sector has the potentials to lift Nigeria out of its current prevailing hunger and joblessness, if only the federal government and Nigerians would prioritise the sector.
Owosibo stressed that at a time the country is battling with severe food insecurity, global oil crash, rising rate of poverty and scarcity of ‘white collar jobs’, only adequate investment in agriculture and animal husbandry can rescue the citizens of the country out of the crisis in the long term.
Explaining some of the importance of agriculture to human existence, he said: “Without agriculture, industry cannot grow; even students will not be able to assimilate anything, if there is no food. This should tell you that agriculture is the father of all profession as it is the only field of study you can practice with government employment. Agriculture is an area everyone should explore, whether young or old, student or worker. If there won’t be any form of hunger in Nigeria tomorrow, only agriculture has the solution.”
In her own submission at the programme, the principal of the college, Mrs Ann Adekunle said she was excited that the programme could be brought to the school to ignite the students’ passion for agriculture at a time when Nigerians’ interest in the profession is fast dwindling.
She said it is high-time Nigerians returned to their roots, which she said, is agriculture as the era of ‘white collar’ jobs is fast drifting into insignificance, just as she thanked the management of FCAHPT for counting her college worthy of hosting the programme, which, she said would make the students take agriculture more seriously.
At the programme, some panel discussants enlightened the students on the untapped potentials in key aspects of agriculture such as veterinary medicine, animal science, crop production, post harvest handling, farm mechanization, fisheries and agricultural journalism.
Some of the panelists include Dr. Dapo Agbato, Mrs Tade Fagbiyi, Dr. Ibikunle Owosibo, Mrs Olatunde T. O, Mr. A.S. Akingbala, Mr. Happiness Ojo and Mrs Louis Tayo of the Nigerian Tribune, among others.
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