WINROCK International Charges Nigerian Government To Encourage Youths In Agriculture

An American based Non-governmental Organisation, WINROCK International has charged Nigerian Government to embark on massive encouragement of Youths in Agricultural education and food production.

This was contained in a Communique issued at the end of a four-day workshop held at the Osun State Polytechnic Iree recently.

The workshop organised by WINROCK International had participants from various Institutions under the umbrella of Network for Agricultural Technical Education in Nigeria ( NATEN) and it was facilitated by an American Volunteer, Professor Jeffery Wood.

According to the Communique, “if Nigerian Youths are more encouraged in Agricultural education, there would be improvement in food production which could alleviate poverty, unemployment and restless of the youths in the country.”

Participants at the workshop unanimously agreed that “if Agriculture is properly nurtured in Nigeria, it could be a panacea to series of anti-social behaviours ravaging the country.”

While speaking at the workshop, the American Volunteer, a professor of Agriculture, Wood stressed that without proper Agriculture Education, budgeting, monitoring and encouragement of the Youths, crop and animal production would not thrive in the country.

Also speaking, at the workshop, the country representative of the WINROCK International, Mr Mike Bassey who disclosed that the organization was ready to give adequate support to Agricultural Education stated that a Farmer To Farmer program has been embarked upon in the country since few years ago to ensure that Nigerian farmers are enriched with modern training in livestock, animal and food production to alleviate series of problems faced by the Nigerian farmers.

While thanking the organization, the Rector of the host Institution, Dr. Jacob Olusola Agboola also declared that Agriculture remains the only vocation that could give succur to the socio-economic hardship of the country.
According to him ” if Nigerian youths are adequately encouraged and engaged in Agriculture there would be improvement in the country’s economic problem.” He added that “if the desired attention is given to Agriculture it could be an alternative to oil production as a source of revenue generation in the country.”

Agboola lamented that despite the fact that the country is blessed with fertile land and intellectually endowed man power in Agriculture, less attention is given to Agriculture. He opined that if the youths are engaged, there would be reduction in the social vices like kidnapping, robbery and other vices among the youths.