NGO, USLACC Tasks Youths On Mechanized Agriculture

The African Representative of United States Latino American Chamber of Commerce (USLACC) and her local affiliate group, FYJIO Group Africa, has called on Nigerian youths to embrace mechanized agriculture to curb the increasing rate of unemployment in the country.

Mrs Ifeoma Ejiogu, African Representative (USLACC) and President, FYJIO Group Africa, gave the call at a fund raising event organized for its Movement for Economic Empowerment and Growth in Africa (MEEGA) development plan, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ejiogu said that the development plan which would span for a 10 year period, is aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs, women and small and medium enterprises.

She added that plan is targeted at empowering 20 African countries, beginning from the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory.

Ejiogu said that her organization was ready to facilitate funds for youths with creative business ideas and skills.

“MEEGA emerged a source of solution to alleviate poverty inspired by the alarming unemployment and poverty rate in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

“This movement intends positively to affect the operations of international trade and investment in Africa beginning from Nigeria.

“This programme is keen about moving Nigeria and Africa’s economy to the next level of higher productivity and economic boom through empowerment of small and medium enterprises”.

According to her, the funds realized would be given to the beneficiaries as loans and grants for the improvement of peasant farmers, artisans and value added local products ready for exportation.

“We encourage youths to divert into agriculture because this happens to be one of the sectors that can easily create jobs abundantly for our teeming youths.

“Presently in our country, we have youths who do not have jobs but if they are looking for a quick, simple and easy way to make create jobs, the best is to diversify into agriculture.

“They can venture into arable farming, livestock farming, processing. We as an organization will also give them market opportunities by exposing and leading them to International Expos.

“We know that the youths will not want to go into the old ways of farming and that is why we are encouraging mechanized farming and I can assure them that they will get their money back,” she said.

Dr Aliyu Zakari, a guest speaker at the occasion, also called on Nigerians to embrace small and medium scale enterprises, stressing that they remained the bedrock of any country’s economy.

“SMEs are small businesses that contribute to local businesses, wherever you are in the country, just look around you and you will find a business you can venture into.

“SMEs empowers people, it creates jobs for yourself and others, it alleviates poverty, it reduces social vices, and it also creates money for the government.

“SMEs leads to economic growth and social development,” he said.