Audu Ogbeh: Minister of agriculture

Chief Bolanle Ogundara, Olotu of Ereko-Elepete, a monarch in Ikorodu, Lagos, on Tuesday urged youths to embrace farming so as to ensure the success of the Federal Government Agriculture Policy.

The traditional ruler, who gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said “we need stimulus packages to encourage more youths take to farming.

“A loan support programme with very little interest rate from banks to young people will go a long way to encourage them.

“Nigeria cannot experience agriculture boom if many more youths do not go into farming as a career,’’ the traditional ruler said.

Ogundara said that the Federal Government’s Agriculture Strategic Policy would not be achievable with the abysmal numbers of those into agriculture.

He said that agriculture needed to be presented as an attractive venture cum career to young people in the country.

“We need a re-direct attention of young people from white collar jobs to tilling the land and livestock rearing as a way to wealth and prosperity,’’ the monarch said.

Ogundara stressed the need for the government to formulate a policy that would change the mindset of youths toward agriculture.

(NAN)