A Prof of Agriculture from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, Kolawole Adebayo, has descried youths lack of interest in agriculture.
He attributed this to lack of enabling environment to attract youths.Adebayo, who disclosed this at the maiden public lecture, titled: “Agriculture and Education: A catalyst for national development,” and launching of Edulite Magazine, by the Students Union Government (SUG), said the problem of agriculture in Nigeria is basically leadership. “The orientation of our leaders is either towards physical structure or sharing money to be popular, which is the bane of agricultural development in this country.”
Provost of the college, Dr. Samson Odedina said: “Our philosophy in this school is that students must be able to key into profitable agricultural value chain opportunity, making money while they are in school and when they achieve success in this, credible people all over the world will start coming with their own ideas and credit to partner with the students.
To further encourage the students, he added that the institution approved loans to 1,000 FECA students to start agriculture business, revealing that they were making huge profits from their endeavours.
“Our students have taken over the landscape of agriculture by providing quality advisory services in the agroshop; and also practicing profitable agriculture while still schooling.
“I am not surprised as a leader that these young leaders have chosen to engage us on a dialogue about the future of agriculture in which they are determined to be the leading force not only in the continent, but also globally,” Odedina said.He noted that the value chain project initiative, which the institution pioneered in the country with its curriculum approved by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), had engaged in all the value chain opportunities.