OSUN STATE TRAINS 20 YOUTHS ON AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY METHODOLOGY IN GERMANY

Osun youths newly trained in agricultural production returned to Nigeria at the weekend with a promise to create a huge impact in the agriculture and general food production sector of the country.

The youths numbering 20, arriving into the waiting hands of the officials of the Osun Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Youth Engagement had arrived at the Muritala International Airport, Ikeja Lagos to received them officially.

The youths who were sponsored to Germany by the state government gave the assurance on their arrival to Osogbo the state capital after their two months trip abroad.

It would be recalled that the state government had previously in 2013 sponsored 20 youths to Germany on the need to acquire knowledge on modern agricultural practices with greater impacts in various aspects of agriculture in the state since the team arrived.

This initiative was part of the state's resolve to banish hunger; enhance wealth through massive increase in food production and agriculture and as well providing assistance and support to farmers in finding and exploiting profitable agricultural practices.

However, in their separate remarks, the leader of the youths, Adebayo Waheed Adekunle, who described the initiative as timely necessity and wise intervention, said the team was ready to bring about the development needed in agriculture.

Adekunle said every member of the team was also ready to translate the experiences they gathered in the course of the training to effect greater agricultural production.

The captain of the team who described agriculture as the only feasible and workable alternative to crude oil, said the time has come for all and sundry to rise to the occasion and invest hugely in agriculture.

He called for better orientation capable of creating worthy environment for agriculture to thrive, saying "there is a need to transit from primitive farming method to modern way of practising agriculture.

Adekunle who identified contemporary knowledge as the key to successful agricultural practices, said the time has come for every farmer to invest in knowledge-based agriculture.

He said agricultural practice has gone beyond physical manual method, hence called for the need to transit to scientific system which according to him has the capacity to bring the desired result.

According to him, "this trip is an eye opener to modern agricultural methods as we were trained in different aspects of agriculture vis-a-vis technological implications in farming.

"We have been exposed to secrets in agriculture as per how one can improve geometrically on his yields, inputs and outputs easily and professionally.

"I am saying this because we have made to know that agriculture has gone beyond  traditional manual method but rather highly advanced system which only required knowledge not unwarranted stress.

"Knowledge rules the world and as such, we are ready to put things in right perspective to turn around agriculture in the state by ensuring that what we learnt  brings positive impacts in the lives of the teeming youths and other farmers.

He called on the youth to see the need to go back to agriculture instead of relying on white cola jobs that are not existed.

Adekunle who expressed hope in the better improvement of the nation's economy said "with agriculture, Nigeria can be great again".

On their part, Bajepade Wahab and Akinbote Adenike, commended the state government for putting up such educative and knowledge-based ideology capable of taking the state to greater heights.

The duo who expressed confidence to maximize the knowledge acquired to advance agricultural system in the state, however called on the youth to show much interest in agriculture.

They also called on other states in the country to follow suit of Osun agricultural's policies which they described as "vision driven and people oriented.

Earlier, the immediate past Senior Special Assistant to governor Aregbesola on Quick Impact Intervention Programme, Mr. Dele Ogundipe described the initiative as productive, saying the impact of the project has been felt over the years.

Ogundipe who recalled how the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola led a team of state officials to Germany to discuss areas of possible agricultural partnerships with farmers in the country, attributed the current development in agricultural sector in Osun to the efforts by the state government.

He said, "Since then, 40 of our youths have been properly and subsequently trained since the commencement of this project with the first batch of 20 indigenes of this state taken to Germany for training in 2013 after they were initially trained in German language.

"Likewise, the second batch made up of 20 youth also went to Germany this year and we thank God they are back fully trained and ready to boost the government's efforts on agribusiness.
Ogundipe said a proposal is already before the governor on how best the newly trained hands could be engaged to ensure maximum utilization of their knowledge.

 " Our youth that went to Germany in 2013 are doing greatly well in piggery today as new breeds were made available for them by the state government.

" In fact, they are making it in their areas of specialization as the state has become the major supplier of pigs to neighboring states through government's impactful agricultural interventions", he added.

Commenting on the expected ripple effects of the training, Ogundipe stated that the major significance of the initiative was that the trained youth had become trainers which he regarded as veritable tools for knowledge acquisition for whoever shows interest in farming as government would continue to provide the necessity to develop, promote and advance agriculture in the state.

The Director of Agricultural Services Department in the Osun Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Youth Engagement, Mr. Dauda Ajisekola, who coordinated the youth to Germany described their conduct as noble.

"These trained youths have been well-equipped and I do hope that they will put in the desired multiplier effect this programme intended to give to the state", he stressed.