In marking this year International Youth Day, Ibadan Prime Youths Forum wishes to send our Goodwill message to the Youths throughout the country, especially during this era when youths transformation and employment are needed for National development.
It’s important we state, that this year’s theme announced by the United Nations fit into our current reality as a people “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health” at IPYF, we can’t but agree, that for development in our localities, the involvement of the youth innovation is essential.
We will recall, that according to a 2020 report of the National Bureau of Statistics, unemployment rate was recorded for youths between 15 – 24 years was 40.8% while ages 25 – 34 years stand at 30.7%.
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The NBS also reports Nigeria’s youth population eligible to work is about 40 million out of which only 14.7 million are fully employed. With the above statistics, we cannot but agree that youth all round development is the only way out.
With the foregoing, we wish to state that youth empowerment in agriculture which is in line with this year’s United Nations theme on Food Systems is one of the feasible ways to reduce our Youth unemployment rate, we believe this is possible by introducing technology in both our farming and food processing methods.
Lastly, while we recognize the efforts of Government both at the local level and federal, we want to admonish government to do more in bringing more youths into Agriculture through innovations that will enhance their participation for National Development.
Signed:
Dr. Oluwatunmise Adeagbo MBBS, MPH, MHPM.
National Coordinator, IPYF
12/08/2021