We’ll key into diversification agenda, says Science & Technology Minister
Minister
NAN-H-24
Diversification
By Tatu Zubairu
Birnin Kebbi, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonaya Onu, on Monday advised the youths to key into the diversification agenda to create jobs and improve the economy.
Onu made this known during a courtesy visit to the Kebbi State Governor, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, in Birnin Kebbi.
He said that the ministry had already keyed into the programme to help address unemployment in the country.
“We have been asking our young people to go back to the farm but they have refused; they prefer to make as much money as people in real estate or in mining or in other areas,” the minister said.
He noted that every aspect of agriculture was dependent on technology, adding that agriculture was crucial to the diversification of the economy.
“Our economy was characterised by agriculture at independence and we exported groundnut, rubber, cocoa and palm oil.
“We did not even diversify the agricultural sector, such that we were exporting cocoa but on the other hand we were importing chocolate.
“We neglected agriculture when we got crude oil and natural gas even though we were the sixth largest exporter of crude oil in the world.
“For many years we were exporting petroleum and importing refined petroleum products and you can see the pressure on our currency presently,’’ the minister said.
Earlier, Gov. Bagudu said Kebbi State recorded about six to seven tones of various agricultural produce in the last 15 months.
He said that all the 21 local government areas of the state planted and recorded a minimum of three tonnes of wheat per hectare during the last season.
“With more application of science and technology, we will still produce more; we will seek more collaboration so that we can achieve this.
“We did not only record input and output, our farmers are our heroes,’’ Bagudu said. (NAN)
SZT/NNO/WOJ
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(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)
We’ll key into diversification agenda, says Science & Technology Minister
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