Reposition Nigeria’s agribusiness for youth participation, NYFN urges FG

The Nigerian Young Farmers Network (NYFN) has urged the federal government to reposition the country’s agribusiness sector for youth participation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr. Promise Amahah, the national coordinator of the network made the call in Abuja on Sunday.

“There is a critical need for a national emergency food strategy as the pandemic had caused oil price to crash which will affect country’s major source of revenue.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the major gaps in Nigerian food security approach.

“We can’t continue to be reactionary to such developments as a nation. We must begin to plan long term and shore up our capacity across board to strengthen our food systems.

“The current average age of a Nigerian farmer is 55 years based on World Bank micro-data 2019 and the average life expectancy of a Nigerian is between 55 and 56 years.

“This statistic is traumatic and evidently underscores the need for urgent repositioning of the sector. As far as I’m concerned, no young farmers, no adequate food, no adequate food, no future.

“It is time for deliberate efforts to integrate young people into the process of food production if we must build resilience against unforeseen circumstances like the current pandemic” he said.

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Amahah noted that his body provides a veritable platform for youth mobilisation and engagement in agribusiness adding that youth participation would accelerate food security and sustainability considering the demographic advantage.

He said NYFN was ready and willing to collaborate with the government to mobilise youth in the country into farming business to guarantee food security.

The coordinator disclosed that his network had developed a strategy known as gather, equip, activate and release.

“We understand that the first tool for building formidable food systems is data gathering. Data is the single most important resource for food security and modern agricultural development.

“Under the gather phase of our strategy, we commit to gathering bottom to top authentic data which is critical to planning, research, innovation and accelerated development.

“Ramping up and sustaining food production during and beyond this pandemic has become our priority. We have developed an integrated national emergency food plan for the network that entails the robust engagement of our coordinators from state, local government and ward levels.

“This nationwide emergency plan has enabled us identify critical and peculiar to each state and region” he added.