Agriculture: ‘Buharists’ Begin Diversification Of Economy

The Buhari Youth Organisation BYO, in line with Federal government’s aspiration to diversify the economy from oil has began full activation of the agricultural sector by educating and engaging youths with agriculture. The Lagos state chapter of the BYO which recently registered it’s agric cooperative society with the Lagos state Ministry of Agriculture, over the weekend, held an Agric seminar with the theme; Repositioning Agriculture For Youths Empowerment and Rural Development. According to the group, the seminar is aimed at educating the youths and its members on the need to take agriculture seriously and how to succeed in the sector by having firsthand information from experts in the industry. Speaking at the event in Lagos, the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Toyin Suarau said the state had acquired 2,134 hectares of land from neighbouring states to promote agriculture. The commissioner, who was represented by Oladeji Alao, the General Manager of Lagos State Coconut Development Authority, said the state government had invested much in agriculture to empower youths. He said noted that Nigeria is currently facing hard times because of over reliance on oil. The commissioner decried the absence of youths in the industry, adding that the average age of a Nigerian farmer today is about 55. “Lagos State has 84 hectares of land in Osogbo, out of which 20 hectares is used for palm produce, while others are used for rice farm, cassava and mills. “We have also acquired 1,000 hectares of land in the same Osun, 500 hectares in Ogun and Oyo each and 50 hectares in Abuja to encourage farming.” According to Saurau, the state has developed estate farming and cluster farming because of the challenge of space in the state. While delivering a lecture entitled: “Reclaiming the Lost Paradise through Agricultural Entrepreneurship”, the Guest Speaker, Isaac Oluyi, said resourceful youths would understand that agric is a good business, adding that the sector must be technologically driven. “For agriculture to be attractive, it must be driven by technology. We can make use of technology to change our fortune through agriculture. Agriculture has gone beyond hoes and cutlasses, Oluyi said. The guest speaker urged youths to stop complaining but rather engage in crop cultivation, animal rearing, processing, distribution, marketing and many others. The National President of BYO, Khalil Aminu, said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government is going back to the basis which is agriculture. Aminu noted that soft loans would be given to youths who are interested in the agriculture. He assured that the fund would not be siphoned by the political class who may want to present themselves as farmers, saying it is no longer business as usual. The BYO boss commended the initiative of the Lagos state chapter, saying it was timely and aligned with the policy trust of the Federal Government. He further directed all state chapters of the BYO to emulate the Lagos chapter’s initiative to empower the youths in agriculture. Earlier, Prince Wale Oyekoya, the Chairman, Agriculture, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, urged all states to take advantage of agriculture to improve on their Internally Generated Revenue. In attendance at the event were; National Vice President, BYO, Mrs Lucy Ajayi, Lagos Patron of the group, Hon. Hakeem Oluwo Apesin and BYO Lagos Agric Grand Consultant, Prince Wale Oyekoya among others.

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