Why Youths Should Participate in Agriculture

Agriculture is important to the development of any nation; this development includes fostering the full participation of youth in the agricultural sector. Youths are the successor farming generation and therefore the future of food security in Nigeria.

The ageing smallholder farmers are less likely to adopt the new technologies needed to sustain increase in agricultural productivity. This effort seeks to change the negative perception of youths in actively participating in agriculture – as farmers are seen as uneducated, unskilled, and physical labourers with extremely low economic return.

Modern agriculture is more than tilling the soil and animals; the sector today offers career opportunities in research, environment, financial management, engineering and technical areas for the youths to explore.

Given the current depressing economic situation affecting the country’s populace, especially the ever increasing youth population who largely seem disoriented on how to eke out a living for themselves without access to the almost non-existent well-paid jobs, effective actions needs to be taken. This situation is further compounded by the recent devaluation of the Naira and the fall in oil prices which has led to a drag on the economy.

The UN World Health Organization predicts that “ by 2030, 6 out of every 10 people will live in a city, and by 2050, this proportion will increase to 7 out of 10 people” meaning that more young people than ever before are moving to cities and towns to find work, leaving few behind to work in rural areas.

With this predicted concentration of the global population in urban areas, it is easier to understand why the number of young farmers decline yearly. There is a compelling need to boost and sustain youth’s interest and participation in agricultural production activities.

Over the years, the Nigerian government has attempted to stimulate youth interest in agriculture, as part of the efforts to reduce ‘youth unemployment’-accounting for over 70 per cent of the national unemployment rate of 23.9 per cent (Nigerian Bureau of Statistics) by providing special incentives such as credit facilities for youths involved in agricultural production and processing. Increased involvement of youths in agricultural activities will help reduce the problems of the ageing farm population and increasing youth unemployment in the country.

The Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA), establishes policies, markets and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) programme to show young people that innovation can play a big role in agriculture.

Agriculture offers the young generation a chance to make a difference by growing enough food to feed the world. Those who become farmers now have the opportunity to be the generation that end world hunger and alleviate malnutrition, as well as helping the sector adapt to climate change.

The increased use of mobile phones in farming can also help deter young people away from stereotypes of traditional farming and help change their perceptions about agriculture, helping them to view it as an exciting and innovative industry.

Kitovu is one of such hub that helps farmers triple their crop yields while guaranteeing offtake of their produce through their data driven mobile platform. They help create markets access for farmers while ensuring produce traceability, by linking them to manufactures, produce buyers as well as input buyers.

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