By Itohan Abara-Laserian
Lagos – Dr Adeola Odedina, Provost, Federal College of Agriculture (FECA), Akure, Ondo State, on Friday advised the Federal Government to attract youths into agriculture with technology and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Odedina told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that youths were easily attracted to beautiful things and would take agriculture seriously if presented to them in a beautiful environment.
The provost also said that Nigerian youths were very sensitive and government should be careful with the way agriculture was presented to them.
According to him, FECA has taken into consideration most of these things and that is why the college is particular about the beautification and cleanliness of the environment.
He said: “Attracting youths into studying and praciticing agriculture begins with the learning environment and for us, youths need beautiful campuses to show that agriculture was attractive for them to take the course.
“ICT and modern technology is key to agricultural development. So, that is why we have a programmes and everything we do in agriculture is ICT and technology related.
“For youths nowadays, where there is no technology, they don’t stay there. If a place is not beautiful, they don’t stay there. Whenever you want youths to thrive in agriculture, provide basic things.
“Youths don’t discriminate and they want different things from us. Create that world for them and allow them to live there. Everything we do now is based on ICT and technology, ‘’ the don said.
According to the provost, motivation and attitude is the right thing for agriculture to thrive which must not be presented wrongly, otherwise, the youth will blackmail agriculture.
He said that agriculture, basically depended on testimonials from those that had ventured into it, and when one is successful, others will follow in that line.
Odedina commended the Federal Government for supporting institutions such as FECA.
He, however, called on the private sector to strengthen partnerships with government for proper sensitisation and development of the sector for economic development.
(NAN)
