By Muftau Ogunyemi
No fewer than 30 young entrepreneurs of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises-Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) have been exposed to sustainable agric business methods in Ondo State.
Mr Gbenga Agbotoba, the IFAD LIFE-ND State Communication Officer, made this known on Thursday during the Study Tours/Exchange visit of 30 LIFE-ND entrepreneurs to Miracle Integrated Farms at Bolorunduro in Akure.
Agbotoba said that the entrepreneurs, recently trained and empowered by IFAD LiFE-ND, were drawn from five different local government areas of the state.
“The tour was to expose the young entrepreneurs to new business environment where they can learn more and rub minds with successful farmers in their field.
“It will also let them know the prospects in agri-business, the challenges and to awaken their consciousness to farming as a profitable business,” he said.
Mr Babatunde Akande, Chief Executive Director of Miracle Integrated Farms, who was the resource person, said it was time youths embraced farming as a profitable business and life-line, which could not fail.
Akande, who was into mixed farming, said that hunger could only be eradicated from the society if youths were fully engaged in agribusiness.
“I want to beg youths in the country to please go into farming as a business. It is our parents that drove us away from the farm ignorantly, they will tell us to read our books so that we will not do farm work like them.
“The impression they created in us then was that farming was synonymous to suffering, but it was ignorance on their part. What farmers can achieve now, a permanent secretary can not if he does not steal.
“I want our youths to know that agri- business is the way to go because everything can fail, even oil one day may become useless, but agri-business cannot because people must eat,” he said.
Akande, therefore, called on the entrepreneurs to utilise the IFAD LIFE-ND training to move and expand in order to eradicate food insecurity in the communities and state at large.
Some of the entrepreneurs, including persons with disabilities, appreciated the Federal Government and IFAD LIFE-ND for exposing them further into agribusiness inspite of their empowerment.
They promised to show more commitment and work hard in their various enterprises to be part of seasoned entrepreneurs feeding the nation. (NAN)
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