Govt should encourage young people to go into farming – Raji, agric expert

 RAJI BOMODEOKU is of the Lagos-based White Field Agricultural Services. The company is into Agricultural derivatives such as poultry production management, farm quality controls, risk outsourcing, marketing, and consultancy. It is registered and operates in Lekki Free Trade Zone. In this interview with Daily Champion, Bomodeoku talks about his company, what the government should do to encourage young people to go into farming and other contemporary issues. Excerpt:

Can you tell us about your commercial farming and farm produce?

We operate a 15,000 poultry capacity farm around La Campagne Tropicana, Ibeju  lekki Trade Zone under our partnership brand name, Bodrem Agricultural Enterprise .We also have partnership with the Chinese community within the refinery where we support the production  of crops like food crops and some cash crops.

What are your operations?

Basically, we are not only into Agric consultancy and Animal production; but we are also into waste processing like backward integration of waste from poultry into manure fertilizer. We also do marketing and distribution of Agric output and we provide support services to farms.

What are the other services you render to your customers?

We render marketing services consultancy for those who are willing to start up Agric business.  We also have a training programme for those who wish to increase their capacity.

Can you tell us the number of Trade Shows and business engagement sections?

Yes, we take part in major agric events and mostly poultry show that usually comes up within the year around September. We also took part in the last West Africa Agric exhibition at Landmark Events Centre in Lagos and Farmers’ Centre Show which comes around Agege also in Lagos. We participate in other trade activities organized to showcase agric products from the Nigerian Chambers of Commerce of which we are members.

Can you tell us about your affiliates?

We get affiliated with International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan. We also have partnerships with Agric Care and First Animal Services around Island. These are some of our affiliations.

Where are your farms located? 

Free Trade Zone. We have farms around Ogun State Free Trade Zone.  We once had a hibiscus farm in which we just finished the harvest. It does not exist any longer existing and we have an outlet again around the ancient Lekki town around Ibeke. Those are the areas we operate.

What are your expansion plans in agric business?

Our plan for expansion is very strategic.  Like where we currently operate, we have about 30 hectares of land there and as we speak, we use just two hectares. So, our effective and long-term vision is to see how we can maximize our production base and plan with other hectares including expansion market share to support upward improvement of our production.

What are your farm produce?

Basically, eggs.  We have extension programmes where we produce cucumber, pepper etcetera.

What are your selling operations?

We have a feed production unit supporting poultry where we process some thousands of maize like we have supply maize and as this maize comes, we spread them within the factory area. We will transform them into production. We and other outlets have employed some Nigerians to be supporting.

What can government do to support farming in Nigeria?

Generally, the government needs to recognize and appreciate the roles that farmers play in nation-building. There is a need for more attention in terms of supporting farmers by encouraging young people to take part because if you look at our population spread, about 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population is composed of youth who are not really interested in farming.  They see farming as an ancient practice that should not be for the 21st century. So, the young people do not want to go into farming. The best thing government can do is to encourage activity population which is for government to support young people to take part in agric. The government should also increase security and safety of farms and farm produce including networking for the transport of agric products.  So, these are some of the key areas where the government can support advanced farming in Nigeria.  

Tell us about your food production and crop processing

Apparently, we are not into food production.  We sell the eggs as raw material as they come. Then the only area where we are processing livestock feed is that we have a meal facility for producing animal feed in a year. We could produce the poultry feed, normal cassava yams like yam flour, and maize.

What prompted you to go into farming?

I am quite passionate and as a young man, I developed so much passion for agric. When I was young, I had a very small backyard crop I managed and this really inspired me to take further steps into going bigger in agric trying to grow into the business.

What is your vision in agric business?

Well, food crisis is a big challenge today and global warming is taking the world by surprise, contributing to food shortage and quantity of food production.  The hurricane in America, we have seen the flooding in Europe; and we have seen the volcanic eruption in the Mediterranean.  So, with all these, I do really hope that in the years to come, we will be able to work more to enhance food security, with enough food for everybody.

What can you say on the future of farming in Nigeria?

I think there should be more focus on support systems for farmers so that they can be encouraged to go into more farming and make Nigeria more sufficient in terms of what we produce. But generally speaking, I think the future is bright if infrastructures are put in place for the industry to grow.

What can you say on farmers- herders’ clashes?

I think this is an ancient ethnic menace. So, the government has to wake up to the challenges; it is a big challenge; it cuts across the region.  Not just the region here in Nigeria, we have herders’ and farmers’ clashes in Ghana, in Senegal, Mali, etc. So, the nomads go-round with their cattle across the region where we have more concentration of the Fulanis and Hausas.  I think the government should do more to put in a more systematic arrangement for managing herders and cow grazing in the country in terms of putting up a modernized system for grazing cows.

What are the benefits of going into agric business?

Food is the primary basic need. Food is assured and also it is for financial growth and you are always assured of finance like the banks sometimes support you with funds. The Bank of Agriculture itself is an institution that encourages farming.

How has farming solved the problem of unemployment in Nigeria today?

Well, Agric is one of the sectors of the economy that employs a large number of people.  There is no limit to the number of people that can work on a farm.  Our industry is one of the biggest employers of labour, hence it has the potential of solving or addressing some of the unemployment challenges.  We currently have about 10 workers in the management perspective. Then we have those in the casual categories too and all our other sub-units and we have employed at least hundreds of Nigerians to be supportive system from sales and supplies.

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