Business
Adopt Right Orientation For Young Farmers, Govts Urged
The three-tiers of government have been urged to adopt the right orientation and motivation for aspiring young farmers, if the current generation of aging peasant farmers must be substituted.
The Managing Director of Dabs Farms Limited, Dambie Barine gave the charge in Port Harcourt in a paper presentation during a workshop for young farmers on Friday.
He emphasised the need to adopt the right orientation by aspiring young farmers, saying that agriculture can be profitable but it must be seen as a national service.
According to him, farming is a serious and demanding business which requires the total commitment of the farmer to succeed and unless you are addicted to the farm, you are not a farmer.”
The current generation of aging peasant farmers has to be gradually substituted by the young farmers. There is no substitute for commercial farming and managers, which Nigeria currently lacks the content of education must extol the virtue of using your head and hands in agriculture in reference to the inadequate practical training in agricultural institutes and universities, he noted.
Barine who is also a part-time lecturer with the Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, urged government to inaugurate a committee that will identify reasons hindrances and inhibitions to recruiting and sustaining successor farmers, establish what needs to be done to change the orientation and attitude of successor farmers, and ensure adequate content of training and preparation.
The committee will also ensure the provision of adequate and timely input or assistance and recommend other measures that would assist the development of successor generations of farmers on a sustainable basis.