25 year old Nigerian ,Nakku Justine has a multi-million naira farm |
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has declared
that undergraduates of agric institutions must show their farms before
they are allowed to graduate.
The Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh recently during a meeting with the
representatives of the three institutions in Abuja said that that
henceforth all students of the institutions must be ready to contribute
to the economic recovery plan of the present administration through
diversification into agriculture, and must develop and own a farm before
graduation.
“Now all undergraduates of the institutions must have a farm to qualify
them for graduation. We do not forbid the teaching of electives like
some accounting, business administration and so on, but only as
subsidiaries.
“The main courses must be agriculture, agronomy,
botany, animal husbandry, forestry, fishery, plant entomology, breeding,
cattle breed improvement, agric engineering, veterinary medicine,” he
said
He said that the government is now trying to use academics to solve the
problem of food security and will do that through innovations that are
expected to come from these institutions.
“There may be an immediate reaction to the innovations we are bringing
to bear on your campuses. For example, you may experience a sharp drop
in admission. We know many of our younger ones are not too keen on
agriculture. It is not attractive enough, they claim. Do not worry about
this, and other distractions.
“Attitudes will change because,
undoubtedly, agriculture is a profitable business to those who choose
the path of patience and endurance. They will come running once they see
the prosperity and fulfillment in those who dare to try.