Clarion Olusegun
As part of efforts to promote sustainable food system and empower agriculture driven future generation, the Sustainable Agro and Hunger Eradication Foundation (SAHE) in collaboration with National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and other agro partners are set to launch the Young Tech Farmers (YTF) Club in Nigeria.
Specifically speaking, the Founder/Chief Executive Officer, SAHE foundation, Dr, Idongesit Mbaram said the initiative is aimed at gearing technologically driven young farmers to enhance youth participation, productivity and improve quality in agricultural practices.
The CEO disclosed this during a press conference on Wednesday ahead of the Children’s Day celebration program organized by the foundation and its partners. The event aims to bring together various agricultural and educational stakeholders and students aged 12-16 from senior secondary schools in Lagos state.
She revealed that the event, themed: “Becoming Technological Driven Farmer” would be held on the 24th of May, 2024, by 10:00am at Jelili Adebisi Omotola, Hall A, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos state.
According to her, highlights of the event would include an address by the keynote speaker, Dr. Francis Toromade, Director General, Premier Agribusiness Academy, panel discussions, accounting of bank accounts for the students, fun fair, games and more.
On his part, Dr. Abiola Olatunji, a planning committee member revealed that over 1000 students expected to be in attendance have been made provision for.
He added that the launching of the Young Tech Farmers (YTF) club is the beginning of greatness to protect young ones and their future, making sure they become ambassadors the country is proud of.
According to him, the topic of discussion is one that is timely and necessary to inculcate in the student the essentiality of farming and agriculture diversification.
His words: “Schools are agitating to have more than 1 person representing their school. Then looking at the topic to be discussed is what they want to know “becoming a technological driven farmer”, making them optimistic that they are going to get the best
“The launching of YTF is the beginning of a better initiative that would help the country and eradicate the potentiality of raising yahoo youths or phone addicts.
“This will provide to the students another way to channel their brain to make sure they become children to be proud of.
“At association level, NAPPS under the leadership of the president Dr. Alaska Yusuf is really looking forward to making sure that all the students, at least 1000 of them at the event, are well prepared for.
“The whole arrangement has been made and designed in a form to make sure that each of them get on board before the D-day.
“When we had a meeting with SAHE Foundation it was concluded that school owners should be brought on board to make sure that they are taught to really eradicate hunger through what we grow and what we have should be incorporated into schools and be equipped to do better with their lives through farming.
Speaking further, he said the exercise to mark this year’s children’s day would inculcate in students to become a technologically driven farmer.
Responding to journalists on how to create sustainable initiative development, the foundation’s secretary, Dr. Iniobong John, who is also a senior lecturer at the University of Lagos asserted that SAHE Foundation is ready to interact with various schools depending on the program they want to drive particularly in ensuring that each school is able to drive the young farmers club, technologically.
She said: “We have all the facilities within SAHE foundation to drive engagement further with the schools to meet dedicated approaches for specific needs of each school.
“SAHE is committed to measure progress over time and then move the scale to a bigger level.
“Basically we have programs that enable the foundation to deliver attention in a driven way. “
Also Barrister Richard-Mark, CEO, AgroNigeria maintained that advocacy and dimensioning are approaches adopted by the foundation, including, partnerships and engagement with private and public sector in the agricultural sector which is seen as a fundamentally imports activity
According to him, the minister of agriculture has identified that many universities in the country have massive arable lands at their disposal which in many instances are left fallow.
“SAHE is adopting these opportunities in a coordinated manner and through collaboration to bring educational institutions to put these lands to use.” He noted.
Meanwhile, Olawumi Benedict urged various stakeholders in charge of the project not to allow politics to take hold of their interests and goals.
She expressed optimism that if this initiative is well implemented, it would yield results and become an important initiative to drive food security, food sovereignty and nutritional foods for both old and young in the next 5 years.