By Emma Okeke

As the week draws to a glorious end, I have deemed it fit to leave our teeming audience and readers and indeed all Nigerians, especially the youths with this piece as they continue to seek a direction and inspiration to go into Agriculture amidst the current financial challenge in Nigeria today.

It is no longer news that Nigerians are currently going through tough and challenging times. Food stuff prices and food commodities’ prices are daily taking an uptrend, with most people and families not assured of even a meal today.

Unemployment is at its peak. Those who have not been employed for once seems to be hopeless while those who until now had been employed are fast losing their jobs and sources of livelihood daily as companies are daily forced to lay off workers in the midst of the worsening economic depression.

The youths seem to be the worst hit as many who are either recently graduating or entering the labour market or even the rest who are still in the different higher institutions of learning seem to have been totally caught unawares in the current economic and financial stress. This has left most youths hopeless and without direction.

But in the midst of all this I see hope. I see the light. I see opportunity. I see a new direction for the youths.

I have carefully studied the depressing figures and statistics that fly around daily to justify and buttress the economic hardship presently being experienced in the country.

Figures on car sales are down, employment down, oil revenue down, FX inflow down, Import figures down, marriage rates down, party and ceremonies down, clubbing rate down, data recharge rate down! The list goes on and on.

But surprisingly I read that Food consumption rate hasn’t gone down. I read that in the last quarter that there was growth in Agriculture activities. I read also that growth was recorded in agricultural exports in the last quarter.

I also read that Nigerians are still spending tens of billions of naira on food consumption daily. These food ranges from; rice, bean, salt, semovita, wheat, egusi, ogbono, palm oil, fish, chicken, egg, meat, soy bean, fruits and vegetables. Garri, onions, tomato, pepper, dry fish, stock fish etc.

Each time I look at these items, I see in them food and Agric commodities and produce readily available in our soil and which every hardworking Nigerian and youth could make a pledge to find a way to provide and make available even for his next door neighbour and street.

It is upon this revelation, that I see hope for Nigerians and particularly the youths.

I therefore today ask every hardworking youth in Nigeria; employed or unemployed, graduate or still in school, with capital or without, to rise up, roll up your sleeves and seek for ways to create income and wealth exploring these commodities listed above that in good times or in bad times would continue to be highly sough out for by our fellow citizens.

Do not tell me that capital is your greatest challenge. I hear that every day. Rise up, face your greatest challenge. Look it in the face. Get your finger off facebook. Get your eyes off the social media until you devour this monster called unproductivity and lack.

Capital is not actually your greatest challenge. Lack of knowledge and information of what you can do with the little you have is the problem. Also failure to invest in yourself and to acquire the necessary skill to enter Agriculture and Agribusiness is your greatest challenge.

I findd it difficult to fathom how youths cannot take the pain to spend money to develop themselves in Agribusiness and would also not seek the route of volunteerism.

If you are reading this now; do not wait further. From cucumber farming, watermelon, vegetable, snail farming; there are a lot that you can start with a little capital and with more knowledge you would get a lot of people to invest in you and also partner you.

Go out today; acquire knowledge about poultry farming, catfish farming, piggery and their processing. If you lack money for workshop, go and visit a farm and volunteer to help out and learn. Chances are when you have fully acquired knowledge there would be a lot ready to invest in your farm, alternatively you would readily find a lot of people whom you can convince with clear and well thought out figures that could invest in these farms and have you manage them.

If you are in the North, there is massive production of tomato, onion, ginger, garlic, pepper, rice, beans, corn, etc. connect with these farmers close to harvest, get online and seek buyers (that are most available) in the South for these highly sought commodities.

If you are in the East go and develop yourself in the business of Cashew, Palm Oil, Honey, etc. Look for willing and ready market in the North where you can sell them.

If you are in the West it is the home and centre of Agribusiness, boundless opportunities abound for you. Capital my dear friend is not your obstacle. Your greatest challenge is getting the right knowledge and Agribusiness education.

Acquire knowledge on how you can help source Agro export commodities in your area for exporters and also with time trade in them.

Ask yourself daily; there are over 170 million Nigerians that eat at least once daily. How can I offer a livestock or crop or local food commodity or ingredient that would make up the food consumed by even a minimum 10 persons daily?

How can I meet the snail demand on my street and neighbourhood?

How can I meet the palm oil demand on my street and neighbourhood?

How can I meet the daily fish demand of my street and neighbourhood?

How can I serve crayfish daily to my street and neighbourhood?

How can my catfish be in the table of families in my street and neighbourhood?

How can my egwusi and Ogbonno make up the soup of the familes in my street and neighbourhood?

The list goes on… the item goes on. Just sit down and make the list of all items consumed by people.

From serving your street and neighbourhood, you would soon serve your state and may be the nation one day.

Government and bank loan isn’t your challenge. Stop lamenting about the fact that BOI, BOA, Nexim or even the CBN doesn’t grant loans to ordinary citizens. Well that is the problem we have found ourselves as a nation. Gather your friends, form a cooperative, put funds together and start your desired Agribusiness.

Create a little space around the neighbourhood and plant vegetables, if not for commercial purpose; at least for your personal or family consumption. Put a little snailery behind your house. Get 4 to five day old chicks and raise them. Try the recent fish rearing techniques that conserves space and start small.

The future of this nation is in Agriculture and only the youths can power the nation back to its place in sufficient food production.