The Lagos State Government has trained 97 Senior Secondary School Agricultural Science students, Agricultural Science teachers and Education Desk Officers under its Y2021 Agricultural Summer School Programme.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, who disclosed this at the closing ceremony of the programme in Lagos, explained that it was aimed at encouraging the youths to grow into a more productive labour force, thereby solving the problem of unemployment as well as mitigate the possible effects of a global food crisis.
According to her, 84 Senior Secondary School Agricultural Science students and 13 Education officials, including Education Desk Officers (Agric) and Agricultural Science teachers, drawn from the six educational districts in the State participated in the programme.
The Commissioner, who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Hakeen Adeniji, noted that each participant had undergone both theoretical training in livestock production, fisheries, crop production, agro-processing and practical training in the various value chains.
In her words: “The Agricultural Summer School Programme was first implemented in 2011 to further stimulate the interest and awareness of students in Agriculture. The programme, usually a two-week event is organised on an annual basis during the long vacation for Senior Secondary School students offering Agricultural Science, as well as their Agricultural Science teachers, drawn from public Senior Secondary Schools across the six Education Districts in the State”.
“Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this year’s programme is being held at the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority, Oko-Oba, Agege, instead of the usual two-week residential on-farm Summer School training within the premises of the Agricultural Training Institute in Araga, Epe. Since the inception of the Agricultural Summer School Programme in 2011 till date, no fewer than 642 students and teachers have participated in the programme with 544 being students and 98 being Education Officials.”
She stated that the Summer School Programme had enabled students to understand more about agriculture as a subject and they have been practically shown that agriculture, if well-managed, is a reputable and profitable business venture.
The Commissioner noted that the State’s Development Plan in Agriculture is to move the present local food production from 18% to 40% of its food demand by the year 2025.
Olusanya added that the State Government has been providing different platforms for youth engagement through training, capacity building and empowerment via her various agricultural projects and programmes in different value chains, which has contributed to job creation, youth empowerment and poverty alleviation.
She listed some of such programmes to include the Schools’ Agricultural Programme (SAP); the Agro-Processing, Productivity, Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project; the Lagos Agripreneurship Programme (L.A.P.); the Cage and Pen Culture Programme; the Young Africa Works Programme in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Africa Projects Development Centre(APDC) and the Mastercard Foundation among others.
“Let me, therefore, sincerely appreciate the Ministry of Education for the usual support towards all of our projects and programmes, most especially, those which require students participation. I thank you very much and pray for our continued and strengthened synergy. I would also like to wish all the Senior Secondary School students, Education Officials, Education Desk Officers (Agric) and Agricultural Science Teachers who have participated in this year’s Agricultural Summer School Programme continued success in all your future endeavours”, Olusanya said.
A 2017 beneficiary of the Programme and an undergraduate of the Department of Fisheries, University of Lagos, Misturah Ahmed, expressed her delight at the Agricultural Summer School Programme that has shaped her career in the agriculture space.
She explained that the decision to study Fisheries in the University was borne out of her experience during the 2017 Summer Camp, adding that she has no regrets whatsoever on her career path.
Ahmed, therefore, urged the participants to think of agriculture not only as an activity, but as a profitable business and a career that they can build a life on.
