CALABAR – The Federal Government of Nigeria in a bid to encourage more young person to engage in agricultural activities while providing succour to youth in the Agricultural mainstream, have launched the Youth in Agriculture Advocacy Platform for Cross River State.
The event held in Calabar at the Luxbor Entrepreneurial Centre, on the 4th of May 2023 was facilitated by the Niger Delta Development Commission, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Livelihood Initiatives Family Enterprise for the Niger Delta, FGN/NDDC/IFAD LIFE – ND,
Addressing the stakeholders notably members of the National Youth Council of Nigeria and others across different socio-economic strata, the State Project Coordinator, Mr Innocent Ogbin welcomed the participants to an occasion they can truly call theirs given that all that IFAD LIFE – ND has been doing and will continue to do centres around the youth. According to him, the productive sector of every society is the youth population, yet they are the most vulnerable.
This programme is designed to help the youth find their footing in life, especially in a society where their expectations in the white collar have been dampened. It is to give them the hope that all is not lost if Agriculture is seen as the business that it is. As young people, the perception that Agriculture is the job for retirees should be discarded. We invited you here today, especially the National Youth Council of Nigeria as the umbrella body of the youth at the national and state because you are the face of the youth population, you have always championed the course for the youth. His Youthfulness Comrade Daniel Obo Jr, the state chairman has been very vocal in articulating programmes for the youth. We want you to also spread this message to help the youth reinvent their path for growth and development, that is why we have created this platform, Youth in Agriculture Advocacy in the state.
Earlier, Mrs. Ewor Edet, State Rural Institution Gender and Youth Officer in her opening remarks and on the reason for the event stated to brainstorm on the challenges affecting the youth in Agriculture within the Niger Delta Area. We will also look at the proffering solutions to these problems. She further stated that the event was inclusive as youth from other sectors especially the private sector were in attendance to chart a new course for Agriculture in the state with the youth in future. In the end, all the solutions we will advance from the group technical session will constitute the policy document for the state, she concluded.
The Chairman of the NYCN, HY. Comr. Dan Obo Jr extols the ingenuity of the initiators of the project with special commendations to the Cross River Project Office for their take-charge dispositions and openness. “I have heard about IFAD LIFE-ND, and I must confess at the giant stride they are making, from inputs, technical support, infrastructure, financial support and others. If all Government interventions were to be this transparent, a lot of issues bedevilling society today would have been addressed. However, I am optimistic that with the speed at which they are delivering a lot of young people are already encouraged and are gearing up into Agriculture. And so, for us, we are expressing our total commitment to the project and we will deliver on all that is expected of us to give the project the needed visibility among the youth to embrace Agriculture to ensure food sufficiency, sustenance and security”.
The participants were divided into 3 groups for the technical brainstorming on thematic areas affecting youth in Agriculture. Group 1: Access to land, gender issues, input challenges, PWD and female-headed household, Group 2: Access to market, production challenges, security challenges, and Group 3: Risk insurance, cooperative and registration issues, credit issues
This was followed by a wrap-up lecture by Assoc. Prof. Emem Bassey Inyang, on Felt Need Identification and Advocacy Tools and Issues Mapping, Political and Media Communication/Relations which was not only engaging but helped to fine-tune the composition of the policy document.
To kickstart the implementation properly in line with the policy thrust of the programme to drive the vision of a geometric increase in the involvement of youth in Agriculture going forward, two standing committees were constituted: Advocacy Subcommittee and Media/Publicity Subcommittee respectively with the following as members:
Advocacy Subcommittee
Justina Lifu – Chairperson
Comr. Ukorebi Esien – Secretary
Patience Nakanda – PRO
Osean Effiong – Member
Cletus A. – Member
Tony Ugbe – Member
Daniel Nelson – Member
Media/Publicity
Comr. Daniel Agbor – Chairman
Mirian Obio – Secretary
Effanga Archibong – PRO
Patience Ushie – Member
Obasesam Ofem – Member
Raymond Edim – Member
Offiong-Anwan Edem – Member
This was followed by a photo session as the event came to a close shortly after.