Dr. Samira Jibir, President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), has urged a shift in attitudes towards agriculture to achieve self-reliance and improve the sector’s performance.
She made this call during the launch of the Young Tech Farmers (YTF) Club by the Sustainable Agro and Hunger Eradication (SAHE) Foundation at the University of Lagos, Akoka, on Friday, May 24, 2024. The event gathered agricultural and educational stakeholders, along with senior secondary school students from various schools across Lagos State.
Represented by Prince Sakiru Raji, NAPPS BOT Secretary, Dr. Jibir emphasized the critical link between food security and agriculture. She stressed the need for a new approach to agriculture to enhance performance and achieve self-reliance.
“Real farmers are those who can plough 20 to 30 acres of land in a day, and that is the kind of farmer we envisage in you,” Dr. Jibir stated. She highlighted the importance of integrating modern technology into agricultural practices. “Today, technology has taken over everything. In food production, we must apply technology as much as possible.”
“Don’t just think of farming as what you may have seen in your villages; farming is much more than that,” she added.
Dr. Jibir warned of the threat of hunger in Nigeria, noting that crop failure in the North would lead to hunger in the South. She urged participants to think creatively and adopt innovative agricultural practices.
“There are many organizations willing to provide valuable ideas about agriculture. All you need to do is put your plan into action,” she said, encouraging young people to see agriculture as a profitable venture.
