Make finance accessible to farmers, Afe urges govt

Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Chief Afe Babalola, has urged the Federal Government to make it easy for farmers to have access to finance.

Babalola said, “Such will enhance youths’ involvement in agriculture, increase food production and reduce unemployment and its attendant social ills.”

Babalola spoke at ABUAD on Friday during the presentation of certificates and grants to the beneficiaries of the first phase of an empowerment programme, tagged ‘Youth employment in agri-business and sustainable agriculture’.

The three-year project, which aims at training 1000 unemployed youths in Nigeria and Benin Republic to acquire skills to establish and manage agri-businesses or to be employed in agro-industry, is organised by ABUAD in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development and other partners.

He said, “Agriculture remains the bedrock of economy and the largest employer of labour, which opportunities must be maximised for Nigeria to achieve its vision of becoming one of the countries with viable economy.

“No government can employ 20 per cent of its population; hence all hands must be on deck to develop agriculture in the country,” the ABUAD founder said as he advised the beneficiaries to be diligent and make good use of the opportunities.