The All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has proposed a partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to train Corps Members across different areas of the agricultural value chain.
The proposal was presented by AFAN Deputy National President 1, Chief Daniel Okafor, during a courtesy visit to the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, at the NYSC headquarters in Abuja.
Okafor said the planned collaboration would focus on training Corps Members in aquaculture, irrigation farming, crop production, feed farming, and animal production, among other areas. He explained that AFAN was created to promote sustainable agriculture, improve food production, and support economic growth in Nigeria.
According to him, Corps Members, as graduates, have the knowledge and potential to contribute meaningfully to the agricultural sector if properly trained. He stressed that agriculture remains one of the fastest ways to create jobs and generate profit due to its wide value chain.
In his response, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, said farming is constantly evolving and described farmers as vital to Nigeria’s economy. He noted the urgent need to encourage young people to take up farming because of its many benefits.
Nafiu also pointed out challenges facing agriculture, including insecurity, land ownership issues, and climate change. However, he said modern farming techniques could help address these problems. He added that the NYSC has many graduates in fields such as veterinary medicine, soil science, animal production, and crop production, who could benefit from the proposed training.
The NYSC boss assured that the management would carefully review the proposal and work towards its smooth implementation.
