Post by Ismail AbdulAzeez on Sept 28, 2019 13:03:26 GMT 1
Despite the pressures of global recession, low employment rates in the country and the ever rising food needs of a growing population, it is surprising that the educated young graduate workforce of entrepreneurs are not rushing to take advantage of the numerous opportunities offered by the agricultural industry.
Most young people dream of a well-paid white-collar office job in the city. One of the many reasons why young entrepreneurs aren’t attracted to farming is the image of it being an area for poor and less-educated rural folk. However, despite these common perceptions, farming or agri-business in Nigeria has changed and evolved over the years, creating huge means for income for many people and communities.
Also, technological innovations have overridden the former hard labour and little yield of farming. Farming has been transformed such that it does not only serve as a source of living for many, governments of countries are supporting the sector in order to boost the economy on the long run.
Here are six reasons why opportunities in agriculture should be snapped up by young people:
1. Employer instead of employee
Rather than joining a host of many who are unemployed, you can become an employer of labour providing jobs for many others. Farming requires activities that would require the services of other people. This further helps to reduce unemployment in the country, thereby creating stability in some quotas.
2. Reliable source of livelihood
Farming has actually become a dynamic and lucrative sector with a lot of opportunities embedded in it.
Consider the industries that need regular supplies of agricultural produce, the constant need of food supplies for millions of people and livestock, and the highly profitable export of produces which are all dependent on the agri-sector, which in turn results to huge profits and stable income as there will always be demand for farm produce.
3. Biodiversity
Biodiversity means plenty of choice. You can choose the type of farming you want. And Nigeria is blessed with good climate and tropical regions. Agricultural opportunities range from intensive crop production and livestock-farming.
4. The Sector is not saturated
The agricultural sector has less investors in it than needed for economic growth and stability. This means that there is plenty of room for dynamic young people to enter the sector and make good money as demand for agricultural produce is yet higher than the supply.
With constant and increasing demand for food, meat and dairy products, there are plenty of lucrative rewards for young people ready to take on the challenge.
5. Technological innovations are revolutionising farming
Farming is no longer about back-breaking manual labour and a horse and plough. Farming innovations are helping to change the face of farming and future-proof the country’s food supply. New technologies are increasingly being utilised by farms, such as Blue River Technology – which features artificial intelligence to inform tractors exactly how much to ‘see and spray’.
Many farmers are already using the latest technologies to farm in a water-smart way to minimise wastage and become resource efficient. Renewable energy, such as solar panels, are also becoming widely used to supply power to remote farms.
This creates a far clearer foreseeable future for the farming industry and one that would largely benefit from the young and ambitious generation.
6. A challenging but highly rewarding business
Farming can be a tough business and it would be misleading to ignore the challenges posed by global warming.
However, nothing good comes easy. The right skills, and appropriate management of your farm and your determination will help you achieve success in the business.
In conclusion
Nigeria is a dynamic country with all the ingredients necessary to drive ‘agri-business’. Of course, if you are interested in becoming involved in the farming industry , it is important to do plenty of research in order to be fully prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.
Most young people dream of a well-paid white-collar office job in the city. One of the many reasons why young entrepreneurs aren’t attracted to farming is the image of it being an area for poor and less-educated rural folk. However, despite these common perceptions, farming or agri-business in Nigeria has changed and evolved over the years, creating huge means for income for many people and communities.
Also, technological innovations have overridden the former hard labour and little yield of farming. Farming has been transformed such that it does not only serve as a source of living for many, governments of countries are supporting the sector in order to boost the economy on the long run.
Here are six reasons why opportunities in agriculture should be snapped up by young people:
1. Employer instead of employee
Rather than joining a host of many who are unemployed, you can become an employer of labour providing jobs for many others. Farming requires activities that would require the services of other people. This further helps to reduce unemployment in the country, thereby creating stability in some quotas.
2. Reliable source of livelihood
Farming has actually become a dynamic and lucrative sector with a lot of opportunities embedded in it.
Consider the industries that need regular supplies of agricultural produce, the constant need of food supplies for millions of people and livestock, and the highly profitable export of produces which are all dependent on the agri-sector, which in turn results to huge profits and stable income as there will always be demand for farm produce.
3. Biodiversity
Biodiversity means plenty of choice. You can choose the type of farming you want. And Nigeria is blessed with good climate and tropical regions. Agricultural opportunities range from intensive crop production and livestock-farming.
4. The Sector is not saturated
The agricultural sector has less investors in it than needed for economic growth and stability. This means that there is plenty of room for dynamic young people to enter the sector and make good money as demand for agricultural produce is yet higher than the supply.
With constant and increasing demand for food, meat and dairy products, there are plenty of lucrative rewards for young people ready to take on the challenge.
5. Technological innovations are revolutionising farming
Farming is no longer about back-breaking manual labour and a horse and plough. Farming innovations are helping to change the face of farming and future-proof the country’s food supply. New technologies are increasingly being utilised by farms, such as Blue River Technology – which features artificial intelligence to inform tractors exactly how much to ‘see and spray’.
Many farmers are already using the latest technologies to farm in a water-smart way to minimise wastage and become resource efficient. Renewable energy, such as solar panels, are also becoming widely used to supply power to remote farms.
This creates a far clearer foreseeable future for the farming industry and one that would largely benefit from the young and ambitious generation.
6. A challenging but highly rewarding business
Farming can be a tough business and it would be misleading to ignore the challenges posed by global warming.
However, nothing good comes easy. The right skills, and appropriate management of your farm and your determination will help you achieve success in the business.
In conclusion
Nigeria is a dynamic country with all the ingredients necessary to drive ‘agri-business’. Of course, if you are interested in becoming involved in the farming industry , it is important to do plenty of research in order to be fully prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.