University fires students’ interest in agribusiness

Many Nigerian youths are lost in careers that are neither profitable to them nor the economy, so I invite them to return to agriculture.” This invitation was given by Omoniyi Jesubukunmi, president, Agricultural Students Association (AGSA) of Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, when the association held its maiden symposium recently.

This was after Anga Sotonye, the keynote speaker, coordinator, agribusiness and youth empowerment of Community of Agricultural Stakeholders of Nigeria (CASON), spoke on the topic ‘The essence of agribusiness and nutrition in transforming the economy.’

The event, which also hosted students from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Olabisi Onabanjo University, and Tai-Solarin University of Education, had many dignitaries from the academia such as professors – Akinsoyinu A.O, Okunbanjo Ademola, Daramola David, and doctorate degree holders – Ani I. F, Taylor Oreoluwa, among others.

A. O Akinsoyinu, the dean of the faculty, said Babcock University was conscious of the quality of graduates they produce, saying “We want our graduates to be both employable and employers of labour and this is why we have brought Sotonye Anga to give a private sector perspective on the business of agriculture, show the opportunities and how students can take advantage of them.”

To do justice to that Anga reiterated the fact that young people venturing into agribusiness need to keep in mind and practise the ‘AARP’ principle, which he explained as Appreciate, Acknowledge and Respect People.

Anga said abiding by the AARP principle was a key to success in agribusiness and in life in general. Defining agribusiness as anything that has to do with commercial activities covering all areas of agriculture, he said it had big value chains that provide diverse business opportunities that will suit anyone.

To shed light on the connection between agribusiness and nutrition, saying “building and transforming a nation requires healthy people. To be healthy, we need to eat right and derive nutrient from the food we eat. “You cannot go wrong engaging in agribusiness as there is a ready internal market within the country and a big foreign market waiting for us service.”

Commending the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of President Goodluck Jonathan being driven by Akinwumi Adesina, the minister of agriculture and rural development, Anga said, “Feed the land, the land will feed the crops, and the crops will feed the people. This is how our farmers can get rich. You don’t farm because your father was a farmer, you farm because you want to want to make money, and if you want to make money, you don’t do guess work farming. You have to first know the nutrient strength or deficiency of your farm and then feed the soil first. Farming is about yield and crop productivity, this is why it starts with the soil.”