The Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) on Tuesday called on young people in Abuja to explore opportunities in the agricultural value chain to earn a living.
The Director General of the Institute, Dr Olufemi Oladunni, launched the call during a workshop to train young people on “Agribusiness Opportunities in a Digital World”.
Oladunni expressed concern that some young people have limited themselves to the production aspect of agriculture only, with less attention to other opportunities that have thrived in the agricultural value chain.
He said that increased engagement of young people in agriculture was essential to enable food security and ensure job creation, wealth creation and poverty reduction, among others.
According to Oladunni, the agricultural value chain has brought profitability to all actors and supporters in the chain.
“Whether as a processor, aggregator, wholesaler, exporter or transporter; you can adapt to any of them or combine them.
“Farming can be done in a digital world and young people are more digital now, so there is no reason why they should not be involved.
“Every element of the agricultural value chain can add value to the economy.
“You can integrate each sub-sector of agriculture into a single farming enterprise through which a chain connects them to create jobs, generate income and develop the economy,” he said.
While expressing concern about the consequences of insufficient numbers of young people in agriculture, Oladunni called on them to show passion for agriculture because of its comparative advantage.
“It can make you anything that anyone in other industries can be,” he said.
Oladunni pledged the institute’s commitment to providing young people with essential entrepreneurial skills to enable them to foster food self-sufficiency in the country.
According to him, if a person wants to do business in the food industry, he will not look for another job.
“In the agricultural landscape, there is a lot to explore. We need people who will make it a full-time, not a part-time, business.
“You can sell inputs to farmers like seeds or agrochemicals; some people have never worked for anyone and they do well in agriculture and agribusiness, ” Oladunni said.
For his part, Mr. Oladosun Abiodun, responsible for training at the institute, stressed the need for young people to become agro-industrial investors essential to the fight against poverty in the country.
Abiodun, during a session on “Business and employment opportunities in the agricultural value chain”, asked young people to lead efforts to revolutionize the country’s agricultural sector by being part of the agricultural value chain. value.
Responding on behalf of participants, Ms Obianu Uju described the workshop as an eye opener and skill.
Uju noted that the training would be useful and assured that they would be role models who would inspire other young people to invest in the agricultural sector.
She called on the federal government to ensure the participation of more young people in its agricultural intervention programs in order to attract and encourage them in agriculture.
Mr. Emmanuel Abuhson, a farmer, congratulated the institute on the workshop and described it as having an impact.
“I thank ARMTI for the impactful workshop and for exposing us to the intricacies of profitable agribusiness as well as the various opportunities that we can explore,” said Abuhson.
The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) reports that participants were trained in different agricultural value chain systems and the role of digital marketing in agribusiness.
