Read in
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Starling Global and Ideal Limited, Dr Adeyemi Adeniji has called for an increased involvement of youths in agriculture, with a view to improving the national economic growth and development.
He made the call at the commissioning of the company’s multi-million naira warehouse complex in Ikom, Cross River State, that would house agro products from the central part of the state, for onward exportation.
While asserting that agriculture opportunities abound in the country, Adeniji, however lamented
the arbitrary taxes imposed on exporters from the country and the dearth of young farmers.
He said: “ “ We have our problem now with differences in economic policies and JAPA syndrome . Now, the renewed hope according to what the president said, that if we explore and exploit all the opportunities around us we can become a very great nation.
“We are tired of being told we have the potential to become a great Nation, we need to change that to become a very great nation. Farmers are the richest people in other countries like the United States. We need to create private companies to be intentional in developing this particular space.
“When you are looking at the industrial revolution, you need raw materials. Where will the raw materials come from? Is it when you have the average age of farmers now 40 years and above?
“There is therefore need to start giving the younger ones the hope that they can do it and get there because their involvement in agriculture is key”.
To encourage the involvement of youths in agriculture, Adeniji, explained that the commissioned warehouse was a 2,000 metric tons project expected to house agro products from the central part of the state and prepare them for export.
Aside from that, he revealed that the company also had “ 82 hectares of cocoa plantation, I am planting another 10 hectares in Osun State and 82 in Edo State, we want to encourage young people to come in.
“We have about 62 percent of arable land that has not been touched in Nigeria, the farmers /herder’s crisis can be solved if the government can be intentional about it.
“We have the population, we need to do something to boost the economy of this country and develop the taste of what we produce.
“That is why we acquired the largest cocoa producing factory in Lagos. We have started partnering with Ogun state and AfrExImbank to establish the largest cashew processing factory”, he disclosed.
He further revealed the company’s plans to bring a smaller vessel that would export the agro products from Calabar to Douala and Yaounde, in Cameroon.
“That is our objective, we cannot be waiting for the government all the time. From the Ikom axis, we have indigenous persons on our employment roll and we intend to bring in more”, he stated.
In her remarks, a representative of the Director of Administration, Ministry of Commerce, Glory Odu-Oji, expressed the state government’s satisfaction at Starkink’s situation at the warehouse in Ikom, Cross River State.
She said, “ You are not only going to be exporting cocoa, but we look forward to a time when you will be carrying cocoa beans out of Ikom. We are also happy that you want to give back to the community you are benefiting from and your action today shows that you are not just paying lip service but mean business. The State Governor is not relenting in his efforts at ensuring the state hits the ground running particularly in the area of exports”.
Also speaking, Executive Director/CEO , Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC Dr. Ezra Yakusak
said the country needed to evolve more foreign exports as a means of survival, pointing out that being a beneficiary of the Federal government’s export grant, the company had manifested the essence of the grant.
On his part, Chairman, Association of Cocoa Farmers, Cross River State, Achu Bisong said the commissioning “goes to assure youths, especially graduates from this part of the world that there is dignity in farming”, stressing that rather that going around looking for white collar jobs, youths could go into farming.
In the same, representative of the Area Comptroller of Custom, Bosun Akande also commended Starlink Global and Ideal Limited for the initiative, even as he cautioned marketers not to use the space for illegal business.