FUTA STUDENTS PROMOTE FACE OF AGRICULTURE AS VALUABLE, FASHIONABLE AND SOCIABLE. (on FB check (FACE OF AGRICULTURE AFRICA)
Preamble
It is pathetic that many of the Agricultural Students presently in tertiary institutions still seek to re-write UTME or get a change of Course form to transfer to another Course in the same Institution. This is simply to ensure that they are professionally in good standing for their future Livelihood. Scarcely will a young School Leaver have the desire to study any Agriculture-related course as his/her first choice of Career. This is due to the stigma attached to the Discipline as a poverty-stricken profession, hence. The need to promote the ‘Face of Agriculture as a valuable, fashionable and sociable’ profession to be engaged in the 21st century!
It is a well-known fact that agriculture is the bedrock of any economy and for a nation to thrive, Agriculture must be given a priority and a pride of place for economic sustainability. In Nigeria, historically, Agriculture was the major source of revenue but since the Oil Boom, Agriculture has not been given due recognition in the Economy. This has led to a sharp decline in the economic growth and development of Agriculture. People are no longer interested in practicing Agriculture as it is seen as non- lucrative and meant for the poor rural dwellers. Most youths are generally dissuaded by farming parents not to follow in their footstep as a farmer and some are not even willing to study Agriculture at the University level. Even those that are in the University studying Agriculture were “thrown” into it for various reasons and are not willing to practice it after graduation but prefer to go in search of a ‘White Collar Job’. This is the reason why Students of the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT), Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) seek to change people’s thinking and perspective about Agriculture so that Students studying Agriculture would stop feeling inferior among their peers. It is time Agriculture got a new face, hence this concept: TRANSFORMING THE FACE OF AGRICULTURE.
The Take-off Event
The table turned around on 24th September, 2014 when staff and over 1000 students of the SAAT, FUTA trooped out to sign the banner of the Face of Agriculture with the inscription “I believe in Agriculture, I study and will practice Agriculture as a career, “Agriculture is life,” “Agriculture is what I do”, etc. as an indication of being a proud Agriculturist. The concept of the banner signing was to get Agricultural Students motivated, change their perceptions about agricultural practices and make them identify themselves as proud Agriculturists. The banner was up as early as 8:00am such that as people came around the school building and they saw that their colleagues in Agriculture were signing, it encouraged them to do same.
The signing of the banner was also used to create awareness about the ‘Face of Agriculture’ programme which came up on October 1, 2014 as this was a National Issue: to transform the Face of Agriculture in Nigeria. Before the day of the Banner signing, some did not have a good understanding of what Face of Agriculture was all about but at the sight of the banner, everyone understood the concept and began to endorse the banner with their signatures. The Dean, SAAT, Head of Departments and students all appended their signatures on the Banner.
While the signing was going on, Students were seen discussing the challenges and prospects of Agriculture and being agriculturists, they took pictures with the banner as background and some were seen updating their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts with the picture of the banner and their status read words like, “I am a proud farmer." This is not a usual practice with Students in Agriculture.
The Main Event
On 1st October 2014 in Hilltop Auditorium, FUTA at 10am, Secondary School Students, Students of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology; Lecturers, Policy Makers, other Stakeholders and Invited Guests gathered to witness the ‘New Face of Agriculture.’ Dignitaries were at the Occasion such as: Dr Badejo, sub Dean, SAAT; Barr. Bolanle Olafunmiloye, Chairperson of Wealth Creation Agency (WECA), Ondo State; Kayode Bolaji, Executive Director Peace building Development Foundation, South Africa; Mr. Ogunlade, C.E.O. Matna Foods; Barr. Banjo Ayenakin, Legal Practitioner; Mr. Bode Famose, Director National Orientation Agency, Ondo; the Representative of Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and Gbenga Adejumo, M.D Kharis Farms; and Dr. Ogunsuyi, Associate Director CEGIST and NIWARD among others. The meeting opened with a Red Carpet Session, where well dressed Youths and Dignitaries met to continue the signing and endorsements on the Banner of Face of Agriculture. The event continued with a speech by the President of the National Association of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, FUTA Chapter. The conventional Agriculture song “Ise Agbe” was modified to a Hip Hop song and included mechanized farming by a group of FUTA artists. KAYODE Bolaji gave a speech on the “Relationship between Food Security and Human Security.” He emphasized that for a nation to be secure, there had to be food security, which means availability of food and stability of economic access to food over a long period of time. Barrister Olufumiloye, Chairperson of WECA, enlightened the youths on the opportunities available to them and how to access these opportunities as provided by the State Government if they were interested in practicing Agriculture. Mr. Muyiwa Oladosu showed the youths the value chains that are waiting to be harnessed in Agricultural Business. There were two plenary sessions in which top officials and role models in different fields of Agriculture enlightened the youths on issues that bother on Agriculture such as Law and Agriculture (lawgronomy), job opportunities, challenges in agriculture and how to start agriculture as a business.
Recommendations
Titilayo Femi Kings, a Master’s Student in Agricultural Extension and Communication Technology FUTA and the Coordinator of the Project-"Transforming the Face of Agriculture in Africa"-shared his burden that brought about the Project and read the recommendations of over 1000 Students and Youths, highlighting certain activities in the society hindering them from having an economic interest in Agriculture. He requested for urgent intervention from all levels of governments to put an end to all of it. These include:
1. A stop to the publications of Textbooks that show farmers graphically portrayed in poor and tattered clothing and the profession should be shown in the new understanding that Agriculture is a business that has high potential Economic Value;
2. Put a stop to punishing Secondary School Students with cutting of grasses. This action should be abolished as it shows the Profession as an unpleasant job, rather a means for punishment. Farmers’ Club should be encouraged in schools;
3. Television and Radio Programmes in Agriculture should be youthful, interesting and using it to communicate value chains attached to economic growth through agricultural development and innovations; (Our team presently have Synopsis of an agriculture TV programme that can keep viewers glue to their sets; the programme is awaiting sponsorship on any national TV);
4. Lands and inputs for agriculture should be made available for the use of practicing Young Farmers from Secondary School Level up to the Tertiary Institutional Levels;
5. Bank of Agriculture should make loans available to undergraduates involving the help of a Student Support Service Centre in the Institutions.
6. The group called ‘Agbekoya’ should begin to relate with students and youths in general and also help them get lands when and where necessary in all available places;
7. The Wealth Creation Agency (WECA) should create Programmes that support undergraduates that have innovative ideas on agriculture;
8. The significance of value chains in agriculture should be communicated to Pupils and Students early through the curriculum at the Primary and Secondary Schools levels;
9. Agriculture teachers should begin to teach Agriculture in more interesting ways to make the subject more valuable;
10. The curriculum in agriculture should be revamped in the Federal Ministry of Education with respect to its youthfulness and outlook;
11. Scholarships should be given to students who choose to study agriculture;
12. Parents should stop using their own social and economic status to promote careers in agriculture and related field as shameful economic opportunities to their wards;
13. Federal, State, and Local governments, as well as Donor Agencies should support this cause as we are ready to go on what we call ‘Aggressive Evangelism’ also nicknamed ”Agrovangelism” to communicate the new Face of Agriculture in any other tertiary institution secondary and primary schools;
14. The usual mode of dressing of farmers should change.



Other Highlights
There was a value chain contest in which a Speaker was chosen to represent each of the 8 Agriculture Departments in FUTA. Each of them tried to convince the audience that their Department had more value chain than the others. They all did well but there could only be one winner! The Department of Agricultural Extension and Communication (AEC) carried the day, the Department of Food Science and Technology (FST) emerged first runner up and Animal Production and Health (APH), the second runner up. The announcement of the winner of the competition marked the end of the programme. The event was filled with truth, fun and knowledge. History was made in FUTA as Students waited till the very end of the Programme even after the refreshments was served.
Acknowledgments
The event was a huge success because of the kind and generous support and contributions from several individuals, organizations and institutions. The organisers’ of Face of Agriculture hereby acknowledges the immense support of the following:
1. The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA)
2. School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT), FUTA
3. National Association of Agriculture Students (NAAS)
4. Centre for Gender issues in Science and Technology (CEGIST), FUTA
5. Wealth Creation Agency (WECA), Ondo State
6. Peace Building Development Foundation, South Africa
7. Matna Foods
8. Poli Muyol Farms, Oyo
9. Banjo Ayenakin & Co
10. National Orientation Agency, Ondo
11. Bank of Agriculture (BOA)
12. Kharis Farms
13. Oyato Bread

IF YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS MOVE JOIN US ON FACEBOOK,OR CALL 07034489898,08069001119,08169565758,THIS EVENTS CAN HAPPEN IN UR SCHOOL NEXT.

Bet me, most of them will become Agric teachers after graduation...

I'm really proud of this.

Greatest FUTARIANS!!! One love. Keep the flag flying higher. You guys rock.

wao!!!!!!!! I love that

tunde705:
Bet me, most of them will become Agric teachers after graduation...

I'll bet you, they 'll become nation feeders, economy's backbone, job providers and possibly your employer. It's in them!!!!

mogentle:

I'll bet you, they 'll become nation feeders, economy's backbone, job providers and possibly your employer. It's in them!!!!

I AM TALKING FROM EXPERIENCE, MY GUY.

tunde705:
Bet me, most of them will become Agric teachers after graduation...

am sorry for this guy there is a great change in Agric sector

tunde705:
I AM TALKING FROM EXPERIENCE, MY GUY.

pls can you share this experience and let people give u testimonies,there is a new face of AGRICULTURE BRO

femikings:
pls can you share this experience and let people give u testimonies,there is a new face of AGRICULTURE BRO

I am at the point of setting up a poultry farm... I love Agric bro.

Nice on there.
Lets revolutionalised the face of agriculture in Nigeria.
Lots of money needed to.be made in this multi-billion naira sector.
Keep it up people.

Wow! This is coming at a time am making moves to spread my tentacles into oil palm and cassava cultivation.

This is a great one from my Alma mata. I rep Architecture class 2011.