OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH

INVOLVEMENT IN AGRICULTURE

Presented by:
Peter Cookey
Steering Committee Member Representing Anglophone African
Countries
Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, Geneva
Lecturer, Rivers State College of Health Science & Technology
President, Earth Watch Research Institute
0802 324 5314
peter@earthwatchnigeria.org
 What is Agriculture?
• An aspect of human endeavour concerned
with the cultivation of crops and rearing of
animal for the purpose of producing food
and fibre for human and industrial
consumption. (Allison-Oguru, Berepubo
and Kalio 2002)
• It includes: Fisheries, animal husbandry and
forestry
• Lumbering, hunting and gathering of wild
fruits, tapping of raffia palm.
 Importance of Agriculture
• As an industry, agriculture also embraces the aspects of
human endeavour concern with the supply of physical and
service inputs to farm sector as well as processing and
marketing of farm produce.
• Agriculture constitutes the backbone of economic growth
and development
• It supplies food for human population and agricultural raw
materials for agro-based industries
• It also provides a large domestic market for products of the
manufacturing sector
• Provides employment for the labour force
• Neglection of agriculture results in stagnation of growth and
development
 What is Opportunity?
• Opportunity is an auspicious state of affairs or a suitable
time: "If you prepare yourself . . . you will be able to grasp
opportunity for broader experience when it appears"
(Eleanor Roosevelt).
• An opening is an opportunity affording a good possibility
of success
• When preparation meets opportunity, it creates success
• In simple terms Preparation + Opportunity = Success.
• Synonyms: opportunity, occasion, opening, chance,
break
These nouns refer to a favorable or advantageous
circumstance or combination of circumstances.
 What is Youth Development?
• As: "...the ongoing growth process in which all youth are
engaged in attempting to
• (1) meet their basic personal and social needs to be safe,
feel cared for, be valued, be useful, and be spiritually
grounded, and
• (2) to build skills and competencies that allow them to
function and contribute in their daily lives." (Pittman,
1993, p. 8)
• Youth development, then, is a combination of all of the
people, places, supports, opportunities and services that
most of us inherently understand that young people need to
be happy, healthy and successful.
More Young People in the World
• Global population numbers are on track to reach 7
billion in 2011
• Virtually all of the growth is in developing
countries like Nigeria
• And the growth of the world’s youth population
(ages 15 to 24) is shifting into the poorest of those
countries
• In developing countries 75% of poor live in rural
areas
• Agriculture is thus vital for poverty reduction and
food security
• But interest among young people in agriculture
seems to increasingly decrease
World Population Growth Is Almost Entirely
Concentrated in the World's Poorer Countries
World Population (in Billions): 1950-2050

Source: United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects, The 2008 Revision.
The World’s Youth Population Will Become
More Concentrated in Africa and Asia
Population Ages 15-24 by World Region: 1950 and 2050

1950 2050

Source: Carl Haub and Mary Mederios Kent, 2009 World Population Data Sheet.
The World’s Youth Population Will Become
More Concentrated in Africa and Asia
Population Ages 15-24 by World Region: 1950 and 2050

1950 2050

Source: Carl Haub and Mary Mederios Kent, 2009 World Population Data Sheet.
 Agriculture in Rivers State
• The economy of Rivers State is natural-
resources-based
• Despite the her oil and gas industry, the state
is essentially agrarian (Allison-Oguru,
Berepubo and Kalio 2002)
• This is because over 65 percent of the people
of the state are engaged in agriculture related
activities.
 Farms in Rivers State
• Farms in Rivers State are small in size
• They range between 0.25 to 5ha with an
average of about 1.5ha
• They are owned and operated by the farmer
and his/her household
• Other features includes: limited use of
capital inputs (Allison-Oguru, 1995 and
Allison-Oguru et al 1999)
 Farm Household Characteristics
• Farm households in Rivers State are observed to engage in
subsidiary or secondary occupations in order to remain
employed all year round and supplement farm incomes
• Farm household incomes in the state are relatively low
compared with incomes from other sectors of the economy
• Women account for more than 50% of the farming
population
• The age of farmers in the state is between 18 and 58 years
• Involvement of some educated youths in farming and
animal production shall be a welcome development.
 Average Yield of Selected Crops
Crop Yields (tons/ha)
Cassava 10-14
Plantain/Banana 10-25
Maize 0.5 -17
Sugarcane 15-40
Pineapple 8-15
Groundnut 1.5 – 3.00
Melon 3.8
Sweet Potato 7-12
Fluted Pumpkin 3.5 – 7.0
Cocoyam 2.7 – 6.0
Oil Palm 4 - 10
Cocoa 1-2
Rubber n.a
Coconut n.a
Mango n.a
Pawpaw n.a
Orange n.a
Guava 15-20
Source: Onuegbu and Zuofa (1999) and Several Rivers State ADP
Annual Reports
 Farming Calendar of Major Crops in Rivers State
Crop Planting Time Harvesting Time
Cassava All year round All year round
Yam December-March September-November
Plantain/Banana All year round except All year round
periods of very high rainfall
and drought
Maize December - March April-July
Melon December - February April-July
Rice June-September August-December
Cocoyam All year round except period All year round
of high rainfall
Pineapple January - April December - March
Sweet Potato March - June September - November
Cowpea August - October December - January
Soyabean July - August November - January
Oil Palm February - May 3-4 years later
 Animal Production in Rivers State
• Animal production in the state is very low and
scanty
• Largely as a result of rudimentary methods of
rearing and management
• Animal species raised in the state include native
fowl, ducks, turkey, goats, pigs, rabbit, grass
cutters
• Exotic or imported chickens do exist but their
numbers are not considerable due to scarcity of
feeds.
 Constrains to Livestock Production in Rivers State
• Prevailing high temperature, humidity and solar radiation
affect livestock and poultry which suffer excessive heat load
• High cost of feeds for the farm animals which is estimated to
account for 70% of the cost.
• Lack of grazing reserves and well tended pastures
• High infection rate due to the climatic condition
• No baseline data on livestock species
• Insufficient capital outlay
• Dearth of suitable technology for inoculations in livestock
production
• Poor transportation network and inadequate marketing outlets
or agencies
 Rivers State Agriculture Policy
• To raise the output of the agricultural sector for increasing
population and to make the state self-sufficient in food
production
• To ensure adequate supply of raw materials for the envisaged
agro-based industries
• To provide greater employment opportunities in agriculture by
development of private and government owned farm
• To provide institutions and facilities such as agricultural
research centres, credit, storage, marketing, machinery hire etc
• To provide training facilities for workers and farmers with a
view to increasing agricultural and farming skills
• To promote mechanization of agriculture production.
 Government Programmes in Agriculture
• Risonpalm Limited established in 1975
• Operating in Elele, Ubima, Bori has a mill with installed
capacity of 20 tons/hrs in 2 production lines. Ubima mill
has not be performing very satisfactorily
• Delta Rubber Company established in 1976
• Operating in Elele, Abara, Odagwa and Umuoye/Akpoku.
Production has dwindle due to lack of maintenance of the
factory
• Pabod Food Company established in 1976
• To produce poultry and pigs along with animal feeds at
Elimgbu
• Presently the company is a comatose condition
• School to Land Authority established in 1985
• With 9 farms located at Iriebe, Agbeta, Bori, Bunu-Tai,
Egbeka-Nwuba, Kpaa,
• A number of young school leavers were also trained and
settled
• However, it is not known whether the trainees settled are
still working on their farms
• Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) established
in 1988
• Its objectives were to increase crop, livestock and fisheries
production
• The positive results of this programme were not sustained
 Challenge of Youth in Agriculture
• The picture of agriculture the youth have is that of strenuous and
unpredictable occupations
• Frustrated village farmers who barely make ends meet
• Poor image of persons involved in agriculture
• Low productivity and subsistence farming
• Inability to expose the youth to the business of agriculture
makes them see ‘agriculture’ as a form of punishment and sign
of poverty
• The agriculture graduates they know end up as ‘frustrated
school teachers’ or they turn to other professions
• This makes agriculture very unattractive to the youth and
understandably they will run from it
 Eight Major Career
Areas
•Production Agriculture
•Agriculture Mechanics
•Agriculture Sales & Service
•Agriculture Processing
•Forestry •Horticulture
•Rural Recreation & Natural Resources
•Agriculture Marketing & Business Management
 Production Agriculture
• Raising
* Field Crops
* Poultry
* Fruit
* Vegetables
* Livestock
Agriculture Mechanics
• Involves
* Planning &
Constructing Buildings
* Machinery Maintenance
* Welding
* Electrical Work &
Plumbing
Agriculture Sales & Service
• Involves Occupations
such as:
* Veterinarian
* Ag Commissioner
* Equipment Dealers
* Feed Dealers
* Ag Flying
Agriculture Processing
• Involves processing
and distributing
food
* Examples include:
Butchers
Plant Workers
Egg Processing
 Horticulture
• Involves
* Landscaping
* Floriculture
* Turf Management
* Nursery
Management
Forestry
• Involves
* Producing &
Harvesting Timber
* Managing Forests
* Reforestation
 Rural Recreation &
Natural Resources
• Involves
* Working with
renewable
resources
Examples:
Wildlife
Water & Soil
Agriculture Marketing &
Business Management
• Involves
* Business Economics
* Developing Markets
* Successful
Marketing
Research Opportunities in Agricultural Institutes

• There are numerous opportunities for jobs in the agricultural research

institutes in Nigeria

– Arable Crops Research Institutes

– National Agricultural Extension Research and Liaison Services (AERLS)
– Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR)
– Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T)
– National Cereals Research institute (NCRI)
– Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI)
– National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI)
– National Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI)
– Forestry, Horticulture and Tree Crops Research Institutes
– Forestry Research institute of Nigeria
– National Horticulture Research Institute (NIHORT)
 How you can start planning at different levels?
• Secondary School Career Plan:
– Develop science projects with plants, animals,
soil, water, energy, ecology, conservation, and
wildlife
– Join Agriculture clubs and choose agricultural
projects
– Volunteer to work on lawn, garden,
greenhouses, farm or conservation projects
– Enroll in agriculture or other career education
projects at school
• Higher Institutions
• Enroll in agriculture classes including plant science,
animal science, agricultural mechanics, agribusiness
and farm management
• Enroll in – preparatory courses in English, math
and science
• Join Join Agriculture clubs and relevant youth
organization and participate in leadership and
citizenship activities
• Develop a broad, supervised agricultural experience
project
• Acquire hands-on, skill-development experience
• Conduct agricultural research project
• Career Plan After Higher Institutions
• Obtain an agricultural job and plan ways
to get additional training while on the job
• Enter relevant institutes or college and
take courses that will transfer to the
college of agriculture or life science of
your choice
• Enter a two-year program in technical
agriculture
• Enter a college of agriculture or life
science and obtain a bachelor degree
(B.S.), master degree (M.S.), and/ or
doctorate (Ph.D)
 Where to Obtain Agriculture
Career Information?

www.ffa.org
• Look for the Career Center under the Site
Index.
 Careers Opportunities in Youth Organizations in Agriculture

• Youth Organization in Agriculture is an

organized group of young people under the
guidance of a leader for the purpose of
capacity building in the field of agriculture.
• Youth organizations are important to help
youths to see agriculture as a dignified
profession from which people can earn a
decent living and not as one in which the
practitioner are condemned to poverty and
compelled to experience hell on earth.
• Youth organizations in agriculture are
necessary to develop responsible leadership
and followership skills.
 Young Farmers Club
• A young farmers' club (YFC) is an organization in which young
people (9-20 years) are encouraged to learn about better
farming and homemaking.
• The members are under the guidance of the agriculture teachers,
agricultural extension personnel and local voluntary leaders.
• The members of the club are allowed to elect their officers, plan
their own programmes, execute these programmes and hold
meetings regularly
• They also carry out worth-while projects or activities in
farming, homemaking, community development and other
related areas
• The philosophy of Young farmers' club programme is a
practical one that emphasizes "learning by doing".
 What’s In Your Area
Depends on 3 different factors
• Population
• Climate
• Consumer Demand
What’s Right For You?

What areas interest you?

 Where to look…

• Teachers
• Friends
• Family
• Industry
• Newspaper
• Professional Assoc.
• Internet
How To Contact People

• Phone
• Letter
• Word of Mouth
• Email
Some Recommendations For Youth Involvement In Agriculture

• 1. Improved access to Training and Capacity Development

– 1.1. Improved training at the primary and secondary school level
– 1.2. Linking School Agricultural Operations with General Curriculum
– 1.3. More opportunities for on farm training for youth
– 1.4. Enterprise development training particularly in value added activities such as food
processing and packaging
• 2. Improved and easier access to resources such as:
– 2.1. Land
– 2.2.Capital
– 2.3.Technology and Information
• 2.3.1. Facilitating access to and encouraging the use of appropriate technology
• 2.3.2. Developing a data base of agencies that can provide access to youth on information in
agriculture
• 3. Facilitating Market Opportunities
– 3.1. Providing targeted marketing opportunities for primary and value-added agricultural
products produced by young entrepreneurs via special arrangements with schools, hotels
etc.
• 4. Providing motivation and improving the image of agriculture
– 4.1. Update policies and incentives
• 5. Facilitating networking among youth
– 5.1. Providing incentives to encourage collaboration and group activity of youth
Some Recommendations For Youth
Involvement In Agriculture

• Plan and Execute the First Youth Award for

Excellence in Agriculture in 2011 in conjunction
with relevant government agencies and organization
• Develop special scholarship schemes in agriculture
(based on merit) for young people from
agriculturally viable communities in Rivers State.
• This intervention will assist with motivating and
rewarding youths involved in agriculture which is
critical to their involvement while unearthing the
many innovations that are certain to surface
If agriculture is in your future ……
It is never to early to plan for your
personal career success.