Nigerian youth have been advised to tap into the various sub-sectors in the agricultural value chain in order to reduce unemployment as well as boost the country’s food security.
An agribusiness expert and the Group Managing Director, GMD, of Niji Group, Mr. Kolawole Adeniji, who identified the value chain as land, labour, water, technology, production, post-harvest handling, processing, storage and market, in an interview with Vanguard on why youths should take to farming, further said agriculture is the ultimate solution to youth unemployment in Nigeria.
Adeniji said youths constitute more than half of the Nigerian population, adding that it is this important segment of the population who are unemployed.
Agriculture is one of the few sectors that can employ a large number of hands at the same time because the agricultural value chain is quite expansive, he added.
“The industrial parks, which are scheduled to be constructed, have the capacity to ameliorate joblessness among the teaming youths.”
He also advised the incoming government to focus on non-oil resources, particurlarly lead, to improve the nation’s earnings and create jobs for many young people.
Source: Vanguard
