FG’s 5 Million Jobs By 2019 Revolves Round Agriculture – Bright

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By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan.
Technical Adviser on Job Creation to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Mr. Dolapo Bright on Tuesday said Federal government’s planned creation of 5million jobs by 2019 revolves round Agriculture.
Mr Bright stated this in Ibadan at a day programme tagged ‘Stakeholders workshop on Kenaf Revolution and Development of Value Chain for Small, Medium and Large Enterprises in Nigeria’ organized by the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, (IAR&T), Ibadan,,
The Technical Adviser declared that the present administration in the country is committed to improving the living condition of the populace, saying there is the need for the youths to embrace various programmes of the present administration
Describing Kenaf production as another veritable tool for creating jobs for thousands of unemployed people, Mr Bright pointed out that Kenaf was another important crop which can generate billions of naira for farmers and the nation at large.
He stressed further that potentials abound in the production of Kenaf and can serve both domestic and industrial users.
Speaking, IAR&T Director, Professor James Adediran said the workshop was organized to improve the revenue base of farmers considering the fact that Nigeria is a large producer of both food and cash crops which need to be packaged and to sensitize the public on the importance of Kenaf and its uses.
“Considering the economic challenges which our country faces in recent times, the situation in which we are now requires exploring other avenues to expand the nation’s foreign exchange earning capacity from locally produced materials and reduce capital flight to other nations. Despite the potentials of Kenaf as raw material for industries, fiber products like jute bags are imported into the country for different uses. Synthetic bags are even preferable because of lower cost implication. However, huge amount of money is still used for their importation and other nations are enriched during the process while local industries are closing down daily,” he said.
Professor Adediran added that potentials in Kenaf production included “production of produce bags, non-woven fibre bags, pulp and papers, plumbing yarn, rope/twine, absorbent of oil spill, car interior decoration, geo-mats for weed, erosion control and so many products of economic values, these end products are yet to be maximally explored for economic returns”.
“The institute has been given national mandate on Kenaf genetic improvement by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The institute has developed high yielding varieties for both seed and fibre production. These varieties are aimed at meeting various demands from different sector of the economy in the Kenaf value chain and produce packaging. If the potentials at our disposal are well explored, there will be a turnaround in our national economic growth.”
In her remark, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Ibadan, Professor Bamidele Omitoyin urged government to formulate policies that will encourage agriculture as well as incentives to farmers and youths who are willing to go back to agriculture.

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