TODAY'S LEADER FORUM 17TH ONLINE PRESENTATION AND DIALOGUE OF "MOMENT LIKE THIS, SITUATION LIKE THIS, IN A COUNTRY LIKE THIS" ON "AGRICULTURE ASSUMED LESS PRIVILEGE COURSE "~ OTUNBA ABDULATEEF OLASUNKANMI

TODAY'S LEADER FORUM 17TH ONLINE PRESENTATION AND DIALOGUE OF "MOMENT LIKE THIS, SITUATION LIKE THIS, IN A COUNTRY LIKE THIS" ON "AGRICULTURE: ASSUMED LESS PRIVILEGE COURSE " PRESENTED BY OTUNBA ABDULATEEF OLASUNKANMI

Good Day fellow compatriot, it's my pleasure to have the honour to be presenting this day, 22nd October, 2018.
I am delighted to have the opportunity to interact with you leaders, I appreciate the untiring efforts of the conveyer of Today's Leader Forum, the admins, VoiceAirMedia and all members of this group.
Let me welcome you all to today's online presentation and dialogue.
I will be discussing with you leaders the topic - AGRICULTURE: ASSUMED LESS PRIVILEGE COURSE

INTRODUCTION
Nigeria has a land area of about 91million hectares and 82 million of the total land mass is said to be arable (NIGERIA FAO STAT, 2015). Unfortunately, despite the country's teaming population and unemployment a little above 40% of this arable land is actually used for farming mostly by rural dwellers using crude tools.
Nigeria economy is blessed with series of natural resources, yet they suffer I the midst of plenty. Nigeria has a high poverty rate in comparison with other African countries despite its high GDP.
Hence, the need to reform the agricultural sector can not be over emphasized.
AGRICULTURE: ASSUMED LESS PRIVILEGE COURSE
This subject will be critically examined from the view of students/youth and the government perspectives.
Students and Youth: Assumed Agriculture as Less Privileged Course

The youths and most students seeking admission into higher citadel of learning view Agricultural department as a dumping ground for those applicants that can not meet up with the requirements of the preferred choice of course they are applying for. Some seems to classify Agriculture as irrelevant course which is not worthy of spending years studying and so they are less passionate about the sector.
In the practice of Agriculture, youths see farming as a profession of the poor, illiterates and rural dwellers. Little do they know that they only view Agriculture from one perspective which is the production aspect. Thus, Agriculture should be seen as a business not as farming.
In the practice of Agriculture, youths see farming as a profession of the poor, illiterates and rural dwellers. Little do they know that they only view Agriculture from one perspective which is the production aspect. Thus, Agriculture should be seen as a business not as farming.
Why student assume Agriculture as Less Privilege Course

➡️ The image of Agriculture perceived by Youths and Students from childhood - Students view Agriculture as stressful, weariness, and non exciting course to study. They see Agriculture as the profession of the rural dwellers, people living in the rural areas, people with low standards of living and of course illiterates. For instance, a learning aid with pictures showing different occupations presented to a Nursery and Primary School pupils as it that a Medical Doctor wears a suit and a white neat cloth hanging a stethoscope around is neck, Lawyers wearing their suit and lawyers wig on their head, Accountant wearing a suit with a brief case on his hand while a farmer has the picture of an old woman tying around her waist patched cloth, hanging hoe on neck and holding cutlass with an unfriendly look. How do you think they will be passionate about such profession. Hence, they do not find Agriculture interesting to study.
➡️ The students perceive Agriculture as lack of career possibility - with the problems associated with Agriculture like poor infrastructure, poor storage facilities, lack of access to funds and finance, low availability of mechanized equipments and machineries among others. They see  limited  job opportunities available for Agriculture graduates in the labour markets. They do not see the possibility of future jobs related to their course of study to provide a certain level of comfort, social status and job security among others.
➡️ The look associated with Agriculture- The way Agriculture is practised and presented makes it look less attractive compared to other professions. They see presence of abundant wealth in the nearest future practising other professions.

Other factors include:
➡️ Lack of knowledge about abundant opportunities enclosed in Agriculture

➡️ Lack of how to source funds and finance to establish after graduation

➡️ Lack of knowledge about sourcing required equipment
➡️ Lack of passion
The Government as a factor while Agriculture is assumed less privileged course
Agriculture in Nigeria has been neglected and abandoner for oil exploitation. Since then, little attention is given to the agricultural sector and industry. Not until the recent fall in oil price, food insecurity, high exchange rate, recession among others. A country where Agriculture used to be our major sources of revenue, livelihood and foreign exchange earning in the country.
History has it that in the 90s revenues from Agriculture was used to establish some infrastructures in the country which are still in existence e.g. Cocoa house Ibadan, First Television Station etc.
The government do not provide the required infrastructures and equipment for the agricultural development compared to the attention given to other sectors. The Agricultural Research Institutes are not funded, No scholarships and or motivational awards to students Agriculture, No creation of agro allied industries for raw materials to me supplied.
What the Government should do
• Fund Agricultural Department in each institutions
• Improve the image of Agriculture as a profession through by improving the sector
• Fund the Agricultural Research Institutes
• Agricultural Science should be re-introduced into our primary and secondary school curriculum (Practical and Theory)
• Provision of rural and social amenities for rural farmers to improve their standards of living.
• Organize Agricultural training and workshops
• Provide Agricultural lands
• Provide subsidy, grants and or interest free loans.
To mention just a few.

What we should know about Agriculture
As a lay man or Academia, Agriculture is defined as the art and science of cultivating the ground, planting of crops and rearing of animals for human consumption, animal feeds and ra materials for agro allied industries.
Whereas, Agriculture should be seen as a business that deals with cultivating the ground, planting of crops, rearing of animals, processing it, marketing and transporting for human consumption.

AGRIBUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
         
AGRO INPUTS DEALERS - Drugs, seeds, herbicides, insecticides, fertilizers, vaccines etc       
FARMERS - Apiculture, crop, poultry, heliculture, livestock etc
AGRO PROCESSORS - Feed mill, abattoir, fruit juice, cold room, beverage industry etc
TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS  - Transporters
DISTRIBUTION AND OUTLETS - Farmers mart, supermarkets, restaurant, fast-food etc
CONSUMERS - Households, restaurants, hotels etc.
This is a summary of opportunities available in the Agriculture sector and how we can tap into it.

CONCLUSION
Agriculture is important to Nigeria economy and we need more youths who are literate and can use ICT to be ease and improve it to be involved.

Agriculture is important to Nigeria economy development in the following areas:

A shift in monoculture economy i.e. diversifying from over reliance on crude oil especially at a time when the price plummet which is becoming to tell on the economy.
Provision of food and raw materials through development of agriculture to the Nigeria teaming population and the development of the manufacturing sector respectively. Which in turn will also discourage heavy dependence on importation.
Agriculture sector is also capable of reducing the country's level of unemployment on the account that the sector is labour intensive.
Agriculture will also curb the effect of rural-urban migration which will help to decongest the urban areas and make life easier for people both in the rural or urban area.
Agriculture will also help the government to make more effort in developing the degrading infrastructural facilities throughout the nation in attempt to ease movement of goods from one location to the other, likewise for preservation of Agricultural output.
Development of the Agriculture sector will also help in improving other sectors and thereby curbing the level of the existing corruption in the country.

The list of the importance of Agriculture to Nigeria economy is endless. Therefore, the bulk of the work lies in the hands of the government and would be entrepreneurs to take advantage of the enormous benefit that is in the Agriculture Sector.

The reason is simple, it will attract Foreign Direct Investment, it will reduce poverty, it will also reduce the country level of unemployment, it will reduce government reliance on crude oil, it will also help to strengthen the Naira against Dollar through Favorable Balance of Payment, the railway lines could also be revamped to ease movement of Agriculture produce and people alike.

In general, development of Nigeria Agriculture sector may also help to reduce the level of corruption in the country.

"INVESTMENTS IN AGRICULTURE ARE THE BEST WEAPON AGAINST HUNGER AND POVERTY, AND THEY HAVE AND WILL MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR BILLIONS OF PEOPLE."

THANKS FOR LISTENING.

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