NASS committed to improved appropriation to make agriculture attractive — Enagi

Fri, Oct 18, 2019
By publisher
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Politics

THE Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Sen. Mohammed Enagi says the National Assembly is committed to improved appropriation to make agriculture attractive in Nigeria.

Enagi gave the assurance at the Seminar and Exhibition of the 2019 National Agriculture Show and Exhibition, organised by National Agricultural Foundation in Tudunwada, Nasarawa state, on Thursday.

The lawmaker said in view of the importance of agriculture to national development the National Assembly would continue to work to help reposition it.

On youth involvement in agriculture, Enagi said it was high time stakeholders went beyond paper presentations to putting machineries in place to involve the youth in agriculture.

He said: “There is need for concerted effort to mainstream youth and women in agriculture.

“The world is currently facing multiple problems of food scarcity as a result of global warming, insurgency and other security challenges and Nigeria is not left out of these challenges.

“The youth in Nigeria at present constitute about 60 per cent and less than 10 per cent of them are actually involved in farming.

“The hope for food security and sustenance becomes even dimmer as about 78 per cent of our farming populations are above the age of 50.”

In his remarks, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, encouraged the youth to venture into agriculture to reap from the benefits in the sector.

He said while there was nothing wrong with the youth being attracted to other sectors, agriculture was also well positioned to meet their demands, adding that it has the potential to create employment opportunities for the youth.

He said beyond farming, the Nigerian youth could take advantage of the various value chains including processing, marketing and storage to get themselves meaningfully engaged.

“Before the advent of sports, agriculture played a major role but since the discovery of oil all attention got shifted there, relegating agriculture because most people want to work in oil firms.

“Little do people know that agriculture can cater for our economy and growing population.

“In view of the importance of agriculture, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has carried out vocational skills and supported agric value chain for over five years.

“Agriculture is a veritable tool for mass employment unfortunately it has not been tapped enough.”

The minister harped on embracing technology to grow agriculture in the country saying it would help to improve yield per hectare among other benefits. (NAN)

– Oct 18, 2019 @ 9:32 GMT |

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