Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi and the lawmaker representing Ekiti North Constituency II in the House of Representatives, Ibrahim Olanrewaju, have stressed the need for youths to embrace agriculture.

This, they said, will lead to national economic development and capable of solving the scourges of poverty, unemployment and insecurity bedevilling the country.They gave the charge during an empowerment programme organised by Olanrewaju for over 2,000 youths and women in his constituency. 

According to Fayemi, agriculture is a lucrative business that should not be left in the hands of the aged and illiterate, as it holds a better future than white-collar jobs.He urged the youths to explore opportunities easily accessible in agriculture through which they could be self-reliant and employers of labour.Olanrewaju commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the closure of the country’s land borders to tackle persistent smuggling, which crippled the country’s economy.

The lawmaker noted that the policy was imperative to change the nation’s economic model from export-based to import substitution, which he said would boost food production and revamp local industries.Fayemi, who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Folorunso Olabode, said the unique initiative was in tandem with the government’s agenda in the area of empowerment and capacity development.

He, however, assured youths of his readiness to invest in them and create enabling environment through implementation of policy frameworks that would take them away from the unemployment pool.