Agriculture Now Main Stay Of Nigeria’s Economy As Crude Oil Is Already Failing – Sen Folarin

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Local Content, Senator Teslim Folarin has disclosed that agriculture is now the main stay of Nigeria economy as crude oil is already failing the country.
Senator Folarin stated this on Tuesday while speaking at a 2-day intensive training he organised for pig farmers  in Akinyele Local Government Area of the Oyo Central Senatorial District in Oyo state held at  Kaybeetel Event Centre, Moniya Ibadan.
The Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District pointed out that he was empowering his constituents with modern innovations in agriculture as a way of reducing unemployment rate and to contribute towards food security in Oyo State and Nigeria in general.
According to Senator Folarin, the training was in line with his electoral promises to meaningfully empower youths and to contribute towards food security in Oyo
The Chairman Senate Committee on Local Content stressed that he had organised two different trainings on agriculture in November as part of his efforts at empowering the youth and the women in his Senatorial District
“In November alone, I have facilitated two unique empowerment trainings vis-a-vis 3-day training on provision and adoption of post-harvest techniques for young farmers in Oyo Federal Constituency of the district and the latest one is training of selected young farmers in Akinyele on how best they can practice and embrace Artificial Insemination (AI) in pigs. Soon, other council areas of the Senatorial District will be given similar opportunities”. he said.
Senator Folarin then charged the  trainees to transfer knowledge acquired to other pig farmers, noted that the use of artificial insemination (AI) has been of enormous economic benefit for dairy farmers in many countries.
A resource person from IAR&T, Dr. (Mrs) Olorungbohunmi Temilolo while speaking during the training  said the Artificial Insemination involves “the synchronization of an animal to come on heat using estrogen and progesterone”.
Dr Temilomo stressed that known semen from proven boars is then introduced to cause fertilization in the synchronized sows, adding, ” the semen produced for artificial insemination (AI) should be free of contagious organisms, be of high quality, have good storage properties, fertilizing capacity and be of high genetic value”. 
” The best approach to prevent the spreading of microorganisms via semen in the process of AI is to collect semen from boars free from specific diseases, for example pseudorabies virus or leptospirosis. Antibiotics are added to the semen to suppress proliferation of microorganisms or even reduce their number. Sperm production is influenced by many factors such as season, collection frequency, breed and age” she  said.
Participants at the training lauded  Senator Folarin for facilitating the training, with their spokesperson Mr. Adeboje Michael, saying, “acquiring this knowledge on artificial insemination is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.”
Senator Folarin  partnered with the Institute of Agricultural Research Training (IART) – Moor Plantation to deliver the training with the  trainees selected across the council area were given artificial insemination kits, certificates and cash grants.