IF WE ARE TO LOOK AT NIGERIA BEYOND OIL THEN WE MUST BRING BACK AGRICULTURE TO OUR CLASSROOM

The place of Agriculture in any economy cannot be over emphasized. For a nation to feed it self, is great pride. Agriculture has been the first existing industry since the creation of man followed by education.

Without food and education of how to live, the existence of man will be but brief vapor. Ironically, these two sectors of the economy have been the most neglected in third world counties.

About 40-60 percent of national economy is being produced from  Agriculture and  while about 70-80 percent of labor force is being engaged in Agriculture although not all at  national level but in small scale farming .

Today , Agriculture is beyond  peasant farming  but includes forestry to preserve our  green environment, wildlife and water sheds. It also includes live stock, live stock products, industrialization, manufacturing, processing and packaging. To operate in this scale of agriculture requires great skills for personnel to take up as skilled jobs and provision of services to agriculture product and the industry as a dynamic one is also a part of education for the people.

The importance of agriculture numerated is inimical to neglected.

1.        Food and fodder

2.       Source of livelihood

3.       Contribution to national revenue

4.        International trade

5.       Raw material

6.       Source of transportation revenue

7.       Storage and surplus market

8.       Foreign exchange resource

9.       National Development

10.   Employment

It is obvious that we have lost this sector to negligence and dependence on oil which is not a sure guarantee for national development today…

Don’t you think the best place to re-introduce sustainable national development through agriculture is in OUR SCHOOLS?