‘Youths lack interest in Agriculture’
By Kehinde Oluwatay
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The lack of interest of Nigerian youths in agriculture has been attributed to the primitive way of practising it in the country.
A youth and chairman of Perdue Farm, Mr Seun Taiwo described agriculture as the most lucrative business if given the necessary attention.
Taiwo, a graduate of Agriculture Economics and Extension stressed that youths are not interested in agriculture because it is not being practised in a modern method like it is done in developed countries of the world.
“Agriculture is the most lucrative business, I am talking about international standard like in America and other developed countries and it is because of what their government is doing for them.
Agriculture according to him, requires a lot of money and because the youths do not have access to fund, they are not interested in it.
“Lack of fund is another reason the youths are not embracing agriculture. Someone like me would have gone far and wide if I had access to fund.I only make do
with the little I have.
. “Look at the vaccines that we give to birds, here it is very expensive but in developed countries, it is cheap , it is because of what their government is doing for them.
“Government should pump money into agriculture. Give repayable loan of low interest to attract youths to it. There is a peculiar problem with our country, you only hear of government’s programmes, you can not access it, only few people are benefitting from it.
“I belong to the poultry association of Nigeria.At a time, we registered for a loan, we were interviewed and up till now, we have not heard anything.
Taiwo who called on youths to embrace agriculture advised them to keep trying everything worthwhile and legitimate assuring that one will work out.
He however called on government to make their efforts on agriculture real other than making it a white paper thing alone.