Agricultural Experts and Stakeholders have advocated the urgent need for youth inclusion in agricultural innovations as panacea for sustainable national development.
They spoke at an agricultural forum, organized by Agricultural Innovations Movement (AIM), in collaboration with the Postgraduate Students Association (PGSA) and FUNAAB Alumni Association, held recently in the University.
Speaking on the topic, “Grant Sourcing for Youths in Innovative Agriculture”, Professor Kolawole Adebayo opined that personal savings is the most sustainable source of fund for innovations, adding that the component of self-discipline will assist every innovator in the fund sourcing with proper consideration of the risk element and management.
His words, ‘Depending on a third party to fund your innovative idea will result in a dead end. It is advisable that you deploy viable sources of fund such as Family and Friends, Cooperative Societies, or acquisition of Grants with an imperative of a well-written fundable proposal, imbibing the strategic principles of SWOT analysis and SMART goals.
Professor Kolawole Adebayo advised against obtaining commercial loans to fund innovative ideas and not to bring innovative ideas on board when they are being asked for ideas proven to scale.
The Dean, Postgraduate School, FUNAAB, Professor Wilfred Alegbeleye was excited about the initiative, adding that it was a timely and laudable concept that would stimulate the interest of youths in agriculture since they constitute a major percentage of Nigeria’s population. He stated that their inclusion and active participation in the agricultural landscape would contribute to national food security.
However, in his presentation, Mr. Dashen Nwalong introduced the Modern Cassava Processing Innovation (MOCAPI), an innovative prototype developed by the GIZ-Green Innovations Centre (GIAE), Bosch and Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO).
He informed that MOCAPI is a tricycle equipped with a Generator, a Hammer mill and a bag sealer, whose objective among others is to transform Cassava Value Chain, in order to improve stationary processes such as grating and pressing, implement hygienic and sustainable packaging, improvement of business skills, fostering of inclusion of marginalized women and strengthening of women Cooperatives.
Convener, Agricultural Innovations Movement (AIM) and Founder, Forward Gate Int’l
Mr. Ogundipe Adetola, representing Aller Aqua – an agricultural organization that produces livestock feeds on commercial scale spoke extensively on latest innovations in the aquaculture sector, showcasing samples of contemporary integrated fish feeds produced by the organization and encouraged the participants to freely harness the opportunities in the organization for knowledge update and practical adventures for personal development and self-reliance.
Also speaking, The Google Digital Skills and Digital Skill Facilitator, Mr. Awaye Oluwatobiloba tutored the participants on Leveraging Digital Skills for Agricultural Innovations, taking the participants through a practical session on how specific Google sites could be assessed on smart phones to promote online business presence and transferring businesses from seasonal scale to becoming global businesses.
He emphasized the need to understand the basis of growing agricultural businesses as setting of feasible goals and objectives, understanding clients’ demography and USP (Unique Selling Point) among several others.
Earlier in his Welcome Address, the Convener and Founder, Forward Gate Int’l, Mr. Mathew Adebisi said ‘AIM has been scheduled by Forward Gate to storm agriculture-inclined universities in Nigeria on annual basis through collaboration with management of major universities of agriculture as well as principal agricultural stakeholders in the industrial sphere with an interplay with other sectors of the economy, to ensure timely exposure of undergraduate students, graduates, postgraduates and local farmers to contemporary innovations in agriculture for sustainable national development and food security.
