Agriculture , our lost glory The worse of it is that we hardly would have an ordinary Nigerian say this right now with the current insecurity situation in the country, saying he is leaving his job in town to retire to his farm in the village. Such person will go hungry because the farm that was suppose to provide food for you will be overrun by herders.
There is only one president of Nigeria that retired back to farming and currently, he is happy. His name is Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo. His farm at Otta, Ogun state is one of the biggest farms in Nigeria.
However, he has been a farmer for a very long time even before he became a president of Nigeria. Farming is a lucrative business but do you expect the youths to ignore the digital world and embrace hoe and cutlass. I don't think so, let those who can farm go into farming but the government is not supportive to these farmers in providing them with seeds and fertilizer to encourage them.
This is a farming business that can be very profitable, the former president and myself are both in support of farming as a business that can provide peace of mind for those who choose to farm. Yet, the idea that all the young people can come out of the digital world and rely on farming is unrealistic. This world, as it is today, heavily depends on technology and digital innovation so that there should be space for young people to grow in that sector.
At the same time, I strongly concur that the government should not only be there to protect farmers but also to help them start businesses such as provision of seeds and fertilizers among other necessary needs to sustain a business properly. According to me, what is actually required is a balance to develop the traditional agriculture as well as at the same promoting the digital economy to help both the sectors support each other.