The federal government should include Practical Farming as a compulsory subject in secondary schools across the country, the Chief Executive Officer of Tola GuineaFowl Ventures, Atolagbe Animashaun, has urged.
Animashaun made the call in a statement he issued on Thursday.
Expressing his passion for farming and agriculture in general, Animashuan said he was saddened by the attitude of the current generation of youths towards farming.
He asserted that something had to been done about the mindset of the youths towards farming which he described as a very profitable and vital occupation.
He called for a strategic and systematic re-orientation of the youths of the country.
Animashaun commended the efforts of the government over the past couple of years towards the sensitisation of the Nigerian youth about the promise, importance and honour involved in farming.
He said it was unfortunate that youths considered farming as a dirty job despite the fact that government made grants, loans, material and land available to them.
He urged the government to plant the seed for the love of farming in the minds of the next generation of Nigerian youths early.
“These little ones should be taught that a Farmer is as important as a Doctor, Engineer, Teacher, Soldier or President,” he said.
He added: “Having thought about this for quite a while now, I am very sure that a sure fire way to get more youths interested in farming is to start at a very early age. When was the last time you asked a teenager or child for his preferred future occupation and heard “I want to be a Farmer”. They will be made to understand that farming is every bit as vital and profitable as Medicine or Entertainment.”
Emphasising the need to introduce Practical Farming as a compulsory subjects in schools, he said, “We have to create a generation of young, educated and passionate youths who are genuinely interested about farming. We can take a leaf from the Chinese, their young ones are taught about technology at a very tendaer age. We all know how that alone has helped boost the Chinese economy.”
