Federal Government Advocates Active Youth Participation In Agriculture
Nigerian Government has called on stakeholders to ensure that active participation of youth in agriculture is enhanced for improved food and livestock productions. This call was made by Dr. Deola-Tayo Lordbanjou, the Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension Service, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), Abuja on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB). The Director who delivered the 12th Commencement Lecture at the Matriculation ceremony of the University noted that focus on disciplines such as Business, Engineering, and Medical Sciences should be extended to agriculture.
Speaking on the title, “Agriculture as a Pathway to Sustainable Development, Food Security, and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria: Empowering Youth for a Brighter Future”, Lordbanjou emphasized that the active participation of young Nigerians was essential for the advancement and modernization of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, particularly in the face of challenges like population growth, climate change, and evolving global markets for agricultural products.
He said the need for youth to explore modern innovations in agriculture, such as precision farming, which present promising career prospects cannot be overemphasized. He called on all academia, business community and other stakeholders to ensure conducive environment that would attract young people to agriculture.
As a support to academic excellence in FUNAAB, Dr. Lordbanjou who is an alumnus of FUNAAB pledged to recognize and reward the top-performing students in agriculture across 100 to 500 Levels during each Convocation Ceremony, even as he donated 15 solar-powered street lights to the University. Dr. Lordbanjou has also extended his support to the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development (AERD), where he completed his Ph.D. He recently undertook a renovation project to give the Department a much-needed facelift, further demonstrating his dedication to fostering an improved learning environment at FUNAAB.
In his Address to the newly matriculated students, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde urged them to follow Dr. Lordbanjou’s example and prioritise both academic and practical skills in agriculture-related fields.
The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted the significance of constructive student unionism and the adherence to University rules and regulations, cautioning against engaging in anti-social behaviours.
He shared statistics regarding the newly admitted students across various Colleges, adding that a total of 5,080 were admitted.
Giving a breakdown of the admitted students, Prof. Kehinde revealed that the College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD) admitted 453 students; the College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM) 704; the College of Biosciences (COLBIOS) 450 and the College of Engineering (COLENG) 449.
He further stated that the College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM) admitted 610; College of Food Science and Human Ecology (COLFHEC) 480; College of Physical Sciences (COLPHYS) 1,002;
College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT) 627; College of Veterinary Medicine (COLVET) 66 and the College of Entrepreneurial and Development Studies (COLENDS) 239 students.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of FUNAAB-made products and an award plaque to Dr. Lordbanjou. The event was witnessed by the JAMB State Coordinator, Alhaji Abdulhammed Hakeem, who represented the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, among others.
