Most young ones of this generation in Nigeria and Africa, in general, do not like agriculture as a  business or career?
They despised agriculture so much that they never think of been recognize with it.

Why most youths hate agriculture is not far fetch, some of the reason are;

1. Young people perceive agriculture as a profession of intense labour:
Not profitable and unable to support their livelihood compared to white collar jobs offer. They think agriculture would not afford them to enjoy the pleasures of owning a beautiful home, fast cars, the latest gadgets and mobile phones like what their colleagues in white collar jobs have access
to.

2. When one talks about agriculture or farming, in the minds of young people, they think of someone far down in a village living in a shack, who wakes up very early every morning to go dig coming back home at sunset. This farmer in their minds, is so far away detached from civilization, wears barely no clothes and is the typical person who lives on less than a dollar a week.

3. There is very high drive towards industrialization as a way to get Africa out of poverty neglecting agriculture. For instance in Nigeria, the government places great emphasis for students to study subjects that lead to careers in medicine, oil, IT neglecting and diminishing the importance on agriculture but thanks to P M B Administration seams the administration has political will in agriculture.

4. African agriculture or farming, is mostly of hoe and machete which makes it very energy and labour intensive. This is the most common example of farmers that almost every young person knows. From an early stage, every young person detests and tries to avoid this sort of life.

As a child, if any of us did not want to go to school, our parents would intimidate us with words like “ok, you are going to end like a farmer..
Living a very hard life and getting infected with lice and no one is going to want to be near you”

5. In Nigeria, parents always encourage their children to study to become doctors, Engineers, accountants, in other-words professionals in white collar jobs.(Abeg who no like better thing?).
From the onset, farming or a career in agriculture is frowned upon as a poor man's business.

6. In primary and secondary school, cultivation of food in the school garden has been used as a punishment for every offence committed at school by the children, which has made many young people hate Agriculture, I'm am a good example. For failing to get an exam pass mark, you would be made to slash a bush every evening for a week or dig half an acre of potatoes.

This punishment often attracted a lot of humiliation from peers, often being laughed at, jeered at and called all sorts of names such as “failures”; “mentally disabled”

7. In school, students in the faculty of agriculture are often treated as of little importance by almost everyone while their peers in management sciences, law, Computer Science and medical school are appreciated and held with high esteem. This diminishes the morale to study agriculture, let alone practice it upon graduation.

8. Admission of students into the faculties of agriculture and food sciences is often by authorization, after being considered to have not enough grades for the subjects they had initially applied for. Students who enroll in agricultural courses, do it as a fall back plan, not something they are passionate about.

9. Youths in farming, often complain that agriculture is not attractive enough in terms of compensation and conditions of service compared to what other professions like law, medicine, or banking offer. In Nigeria, there is nothing like compensation apart from your wage or salary.

10. Morale of professionals in the agricultural field is low, let alone the level of education in this field.This discourages many young graduates who opt to change careers immediately after graduation to other lucrative areas such as banking.

Thanks to Yusuf for this insight!!!

THE TRANSFORMATION!!!!

Beempowered Initiative embark on "AGRO RE-ORIENTATION for youths and students in primary and secondary schools through a weekly enlightenment program on the fields, career, opportunities and prospect in agriculture.


Our focus is to change the perspective of the young ones that "AGRICULTURE IS NOT FOR THE POOR" and enlighten them about the PROSPECT IN AGRICULTURE.

We will ensure all necessary gsps are been filled to promote a SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL in Nigeria and Africa.