Mohammed Haruna Yusuf and Mustapha Suleman
6 October 2008
A Non Governmental Organization (NGO), the Youth Farmers Development Initiative, is to organise a national youth in agriculture summit in December, with the aim of revamping agriculture in Nigeria.
This was stated by Mr. James N. Okon, the secretary general/head of operations during the inaugural press conference in Abuja.
He said that the importance of the summit, which will herald the evolution of an integrated mechanism that will engage Nigerian youths in the much needed and talked about agricultural revolution.
He said, however, with the pride of place accorded the agriculture sector in the 7 point agenda of the present administration, an opportunity has presented itself for all Nigerians to think agriculture, work agriculture and celebrate agriculture. "This is the agricultural revolution," he said.
In a swift response to this call, the youth farmers development initiative was established under the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990, to primarily spearhead the engagement of youths in massive agricultural production in Nigeria.
"Our interest is amplified by the fact that when the collective energies of the youth are re-directed to the agro sector, the dual problems of youth unemployment and food crisis will have been effectively nibbed in the bud,"he said.
James noted that research efforts are focused on modern ways of introducing mechanized farming and specialized forms of agriculture that will be challenging, interesting, and engaging to graduates and other segments of the society that needs to be actively engaged in agriculture as a fulfilling profession.
Their mission, he stated, is to be a proactive and committed platform for the education and motivation of Nigerian youths into agricultural and allied ventures which will be enhanced through the already set up zonal, states, LGAs and wards coordinating units.
James pointed out that the organization's vision will create, strengthen and sustain the middle level manpower resource base that will serve as a recipe for Nigerians on agricultural revolution.
"In recognition of the fact that Nigerians cannot solve all her agro allied problems in isolation, the YFDI has already set up international co-operation units in Holland and the United Kingdom to key her into the state of the art solutions to agro allied problems and to synergise with some quicker and sustainable solutions to the problems in this all important sector,"he assured.
"The need for legislative co-operation also informed our reaching out to some states Houses of Assembly, especially those states that may likely play host to our pilot programmes. In this direction, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly committee on rural development, as a major plank for sustainable development has pledged cooperation in this direction.
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