ibironkeeniola 
The youths remain Nigeria’s greatest asset to harness the untapped potentials embedded in the country’s agriculture sector, the Federal Government has said.
Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Sabo Nanono made this known when he received in audience a delegation of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Youth Entrepreneurs (NYE) in Abuja.
In Nanono’s remarks, the Federal Government’s effort would be in vain without an active youth engagement in agriculture, adding that young people constitute over 70 percent of the nation’s population.
“The youth should drive the new agricultural mechanization process in Nigeria because the future belongs to them; therefore you must be focused and ambitious to achieve this great objective.” Nanono said.
The Minister pointed out three fundamental issues in the sector on which the desired transformation is hinged on namely; Mechanization, Research for Good Seeds and Effective Extension Workers.
“The challenge of feeding the growing population and creating a robust economy, food security, and job creation would be a mirage without the youth being fully involved in the mechanization of the agricultural sector,” He stated.
Nanono also urged the youths to take advantage of the Federal Government’s four-year Agricultural Mechanization Programme (AMP) for all farmers and potential farmers.
On his part, the President of NYE, Muhammad Muhammad revealed that NACCIMA Youth Council is empowered to enhance youth empowerment, self-reliance, and entrepreneurship towards self-actualization.
“It is in the same vein that the council educates and trains youths with the knowledge and skills of business and entrepreneurship, to equip them for effective participation in sustainable national development” Muhammad added
The youths are the engine room of the present and future economy, he said.
SOURCE: AGRONIGERIA