Mrs Ibilola Sholaja, Managing Director, JMK Foods and Rice Mill, Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday called for a revolution in the country’s agriculture sector, as a way to ensure economic growth, development, and stability.

Sholaja, a rice processor, said this on Tuesday at the launching of the Ekiti Rice Pyramid Project under the CBN Anchor Borrowers’ Programme and Flag – off of the 2021 wet season rice cultivation in Ado-Ekiti.

She said in an interview that agriculture was the catalyst of development and best way to curb insecurity across the country.

Sholaja said there must be adequate investment in agriculture because the sector remained the largest employer in Nigeria, employing more than 36 per cent of the labour force.

She said agriculture also remained the instrument for food security, boosting foreign exchange earning, improving nutritional statistics and attracting investors.

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Sholaja noted that to sustain agriculture in Nigeria, government at all levels must engage the youth in agriculture because there was growing concern that the youth had become disenchanted with agriculture.

The processor said that in spite of the decline in interest for agriculture as a career, there were still young farmers working across Nigeria.

She said in order to encourage others to join the sector, it was vital that they were offered a voice.

Sholaja said the youth defied stereotypes as such, government and other stakeholders must demonstrate that there was a role for young people in the agriculture industry.

She said there were many challenges ahead for the sector but if young people were offered education in agriculture, a voice at policy level and in the media, and were engaged with innovations, the agriculture industry would attract the youth again.

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Sholaja noted that subsistence farming required a great deal of effort and endurance.

“The amount of physical energy exerted while using traditional tools, like cutlasses and hoes, discourages some people from going into agriculture.

“Providing machinery will make agriculture more productive and easier, and could also increase people’s interest in the field.

“Mechanised tools can help reduce the cost of labour for farmers and supporting farm mechanisation would help make agriculture more appealing to the youth,” she said.

Sholaja cautioned that agriculture should not be seen only through the lens of subsistence farming.

She said there were many micro-enterprises within agriculture that the youth could engage in.

“There is a world of opportunities in processing and adding value to harvests. Agribusiness offers many opportunities for youths to find gainful employment along the value chain.

“To make agriculture interesting governments and development institutions should reduce the obstacles that limits more engagement in agriculture,” Sholaja said.