Agriculture can generate N1trn in four months–expert

Paul Okpue, managing director Of Okpue Farms, Asaba, has evolved an agricultural model of revolutionizing the youth to become ‘green army’ able to generate N1 trillion proceed from agriculture in four months.

Okpue made the assertion recently in Ilorin, at the 19th Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) Annual Lecture. His paper presentation was entitled: “Youth in Agriculture; possibilities and opportunities for sustainable Agricultural business in Nigeria”.

According to the guest lecturer, the young farmers would be known as ‘green army’ who could be sub-divided into four clusters or four divisions of farming activities.

He explained that the first cluster would embark on cultivating short term crops such as tomatoes, peppers, yams amongst others while the second division could plant long term plants such as trees including gum arabic, pine woods and oil palms.

Okpue further explains that the third division could be involved in animal husbandry and poultry; provision of eggs and milk.

The Farmer pointed out that the fourth division of the cluster could be proactive in fish farming.

According to him, if the government can key into the project, it can provide employment to a population of 1.7 million youth across the 36 state.

“The first cluster alone can generate N1 trillion in four months.

“I call this youths, agri-prenuers, and if the government engages them, over 27 million youths could be gainfully employed in just four years,” he said.

According to him, this scheme can be funded through joint efforts with all stakeholders in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Okpue asserted that the country needs extensive diversification from oil dependent economy to agrarian economy.

He added that there is growing aging population of farmers without growing population of youths involved in farming, adding that there is need to portray agriculture attractively to the youths.

“The way to attract the youths is to change the curricular in schools from secondary schools to universities; agriculture should mean more than subsistence farming,” he said.

He warned that you can negotiate with kidnappers and armed robbers but you can never negotiate with hunger, adding that food insecurity could be the worst thing to befall a nation.

Okpue urged the Federal Government to place greater focus on agriculture and engage the youths as the country faces critical times.

Also speaking, the Governor of Kwara, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, represented by Anu Ibiwoye Special Adviser on Agriculture and Water Resources reiterated the state government resolve to commit N1 billion into farming. Ahmed stated that the state is endowed with good geography, soil and mineral resources.

“It is imperative to revert back to agriculture which is full with opportunities for the teeming jobless youths across the country,” he said.

Also speaking, the discussant at the occasion, Kunle Obayan, director general , Nigerian Directorate of Employment (NDE) pledged that the model advocated by Okpue would be deliberated on by the government.

Obayan who was represented by Cyril Effiong, Director South-South zone of NDE, added that agriculture still holds the largest potentials for youths.

SIKIRAT SHEHU