The Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, has advocated for the deployment of digital agriculture in enhancing food production to meet rising global demand.
Hon. Owotomo made the call during an agricultural show to mark the 2024 Lisabi Festival, organised by the Ministry, at Ake Palace Ground, Ake, Abeokuta, with the theme, “Encouraging Youth Entrepreneurship In An Agribusiness: Panacea for Solving Youths Unemployment in Egbaland.”
He pointed out that digital agriculture has the potential to revolutionise agriculture, avert constraints associated with farming and be capable of making the sector more sustainable and resilient.
The Commissioner said the innovation would make farming more attractive to youths who were the largest users of mobile phones and applications in Africa, adding that it would make food production more profitable, less burdensome and effective linkage between markets and consumers, saying, “the era of hoes and cutlasses way of agriculture is gone,” he said.
He hinted that efforts were on to deepen financial inclusion and linkages among youth in agriculture, stressing that farming should be regarded as a business, to promote its value chain.
Hon. Owotomo urged youths to complement the effort of the state government in ensuring food sufficiency across the state by embracing agribusiness.
Contributing, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, represented by Rtd. Navy Captain Rasheed Raji, enjoined youths and farmers to make judicious use of various interventions of government aimed at improving food production and security, saying the state is naturally blessed with fertile land.
In her remarks, the Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Alhaja Ganiyat Adeoye-Kushimo, commended the present administration for its support, advising parents to see farming as a profitable investment and encourage their wards to venture into it.