CREATE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE Since independent, agriculture had been the mainstay of Nigeria's economy, providing the largest chunk of foreign exchange inflow. It contributed about 63% to the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) according to official statistics. The incomes were derived from the export of major cash crops and by-products (rubber, cocoa, palm oil, groundnut, cashew nuts, cotton, etc). Agriculture was displaced as the nation's main foreign exchange earner as a result of the oil boom of the 1970's thereby declining to 34% contribution to GDP and unemployment began to make an upward movement. Agriculture is not just a means of livelihood, it is a business. It is arguably the most dependable means of sustaining the nation's economy. The Agricultural sector is so attractive today that the likes of Aliko Dangote are investing $1billion into rice production and processing. A release by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that the Agricultural sector grew by 9.19% (year-on-year) in 3rd quarter (Q3) of 2014, up by 2.7% from 3rd quarter of 2013. The sector also grew by 38.53% between 3rd and 4th quarters of 2014, with crop production being the main driver, with a growth of 43.5%. THIS IS A SECTOR OF ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES There have been series of efforts from the government in the past to boost food production in the country. Few are listed below: 1. FARM SETTLEMENT SCHEME (1960, Western Region) * To reduce the rate of unemployment among young school leavers * To teach settlers better farming practices needed to produce larger farm produce both for consumption and for sale. * To improve the yield and harvest of the settlers which would contribute positively to higher gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation. 2. OPERATION FEED THE NATION (1976, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo) * To mobilize the nation towards self- sufficience and self-reliance in food production. * To encourage the sector of the community relying on food purchase to grow its own food. 3. GREEN REVOLUTION (1980, Alhaji, Shehu Shagari) * To encourage large scale farming * To produce abundant food crops for local consumption * To produce cash crops for export purposes 4. DIRECTORATE OF FOOD, ROADS AND RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE (1986, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida) * To develop small scale agro-based industries * To provide rural infrastructures that would facilitate food production * To provide rural infrastructures that would facilitate food processing 5. NATIONAL SCHOOLS AGRICULTURE PROGRAMME (2014,President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan) * To make students take Agriculture as a business venture * To make the nation food sufficient * To tackle the challenge of youth unemployment Having mentioned some of the efforts made by our past leaders to bring about food sufficiency and self-reliance, you will observe that these efforts can not amount to anything if we the citizens just fold our arms and observe from a distance. As citizens of Nigeria, we have the capacity to produce food and also create employment opportunities for the ever-increasing populace. There are lots of cheap and available virgin lands for Agricultural purposes across the nation. Its high time graduates stop roaming the streets either aimlessly or in endless search of "white- collar" jobs. "Create the change you want to see." Yes; we are leaders of tomorrow, we need to act and put things in place to be ready to lead tomorrow. The future belongs to those who see opportunities before they become visible. Nigeria once accounted for over 60% of the global supply of palm oil, 35% of groundnut, 23% of groundnut oil and 25% of cocoa. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Nigeria was the world's largest producer of cassava with an output of over 45million metric tonnes in 2014. Food production can never be in excess as human demands for food are insatiable. According to the Malthusian population theory formulated by Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus, population grows at a geometric progression (2,4,8,16,32,etc) while food production and supply grows at an arithmetical progression (1,2,3,4,5,etc). There is abundant opportunities in Agriculture. It is indeed a sector of endless possibilities. . . For opportunities in Agriculture, training and set-up in: * CROPS: Vegetables, maize, cassava, soyabean, yam, watermelon, plantain, banana, cucumber, pepper, pawpaw e.t.c * LIVESTOCK: Poultry, rabbits, etc Contact Farm Management Consultancy through: MOBILE: 09037659595 or like and inbox us on this page: www.facebook.com/ farmmanagementconsultancy