An organisation, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) has held a career-counselling for youths in Abia State, urging them to take up careers in agriculture.
The event was held in conjunction with the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, (MOUAU) Demonstration Secondary School.
No fewer than 176 SS1 and SS2 students of the school attanded.
Speaking during the counselling in Umuahia, a fellow of AWARD, Dr. Chinelo Ezeocha said that the event was organised to ensure that the youths of the state are encouraged to return to agriculture.
Ezeocha recalled that agriculture in the 1960s was the economic back bone of the state and that many of the infrastructural development of the state were done through the revenue generated from agriculture.
She recalled that there are several farm settlements scattered across the state and that they have been wasting away, “There is need for them to be revived and made habitable for the teeming youths of the state to be fully engaged”.
The lecturer in food science department of MOUAU said that there is a sharp decline in the number of youths that go into agriculture as a career, stressing that there is need for the trend to be reversed.
She explained that the youths going into agriculture will ensure food security, job opportunities and also help to reduce youth restiveness in the state, while crime rate will be reduced to the lowest level.
Ezeocha regretted that the youths in the state are finding it hard to take up agriculture as a career, “They [children] are complaining that agriculture is a hard profession bearing in mind that many people are still using obsolete equipment to farm.”
She called on state and federal governments to provide modern day equipment so that the youths will be willing and encouraged to go in to agriculture for the good of the people of the country and also ensure food security.
The food science lecturer said that agriculture does not mean only food production, “It includes cash crops like cocoa, rubber, cashew, oil palm and many others which if well managed will ensure increase in revenue generation for the youths”.
Ezeocha said that youths should never shy award from agriculture, stressing that agriculture does not require custom men harassing them as they would in the other way round export the excess produce to the outside world.