GOODWILL MESSAGE BY HON. MOJISOLAOLUWA KEHINDE ALLI-MACAULAY (MEMBER, LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY & CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON WOMEN AFFAIRS AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY HELD ON THURSDAY, 12TH AUGUST, 2021.
I join millions around the world to celebrate youths especially the Nigerian Youths and Lagos State in particular on the occasion of International Youth Day 2021.
Without doubt, Youths are the bedrock, foundation and future of every meaningful society, thus any nation that wants to experience a rapid development must consciously prioritize the welfare and education of the youth population. I wish to congratulate youths in Nigeria and Lagos State for their enormous contributions and commitment to building the nation as well as their continued demand for good governance and sustainable development of our dear country and State.
The theme for this year International Youth Day: Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health, is a wakeup call for us and speaks on the need for us to grow more food for our ever increasing populace and bringing it home, while our forefathers farmed with hoes and cutlasses cultivating farmlands on subsistence level, the youths of Nigeria today have and been introduced to modern equipment such as tractors, plow tractors, harvesters, seed fertilizers, balers, just to mention.
There is need for accessible roads, credit facilities, processing facilities, commodities markets, functional government sponsored or partner cooperative societies, and protection against farm products dumping.
The sufficient provision of some of the aforementioned facilities will not only help to attract the youths to the farm, but will also help the youths to key into government plan for diversification of the economy; and innovatively embarked on farming for self-growth, prosperity and national growth and development.
It is not sufficient enough to proclaim diversification of the economy through agriculture without concrete actions and policies that will bring enough vibrant youths to the farms.
Over the years the youth occupy a pivotal position in nation building development, innovation and inventions causing a significant progress in making the world a better place especially in recent times as carried out by the youths.
It is therefore important that humanity taps into this boundless potentials of the youths for increase and enhance food production on sustainable basis. Nigeria in particular does not even have a choice with over 45% of the population of the continent being youths.
The youths are the future of any nation, and essential kernel of any meaningful civilization, thus, bringing them on board and securing their interests in developing innovations agriculture in the agricultural sector as well as others is one feasible way to solve our immediate food crisis and other areas, while providing wealth for themselves and future generations.
In this regards, I will like to applaud the Lagos State Government under the able leadership of Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu the Governor of Lagos State, on the recent agricultural empowerment program where hundreds of farm tools and implements were freely distributed to encourage youth participation in agriculture as well as to curb unemployment.
“Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals & happiness. The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn’t still be a farmer…The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.”
Therefore, on the occasion of this year’s International Youth Day, I urge our young ones in Nigeria and Lagos State in particular to develop solutions with a view to transforming the food system and help curb food insecurity within the agriculture sector as well as enable them make a decent living out of it.
We must also partner with these young innovators to address challenges to our food systems and other areas that needs development (Gender Equality, Personal Development, Technology etc.), giving them endless opportunities to thrive and bring about real transformational change as they are on front lines of the struggle to build a better future for all.
Happy International Youth Day!
