World Farmers’ Centre Opens in Lagos

• World Farmers’ Centre Opens in Lagos

A platform for agricultural training, advocacy, exhibitions forum, farming projects and a general hub for farmers has opened in Lagos.

Known as the World Farmers’ Centre, the platform is aimed, among others, at upgrading the knowledge of individuals, groups and bodies involved in the business of agriculture at different levels.

To achieve this, the President and Founder of the centre, Dr. Joseph Deji Folutile, said free training courses would be offered on a continual basis for intending farmers and other stakeholders. He added that the centre would encourage knowledge-based agriculture practices that will help the nation not only to be self-sufficient, but producing agric products for exports.

Notable activities that will keep taking place at the centre, according to the president, include the monthly AGRIC SPEAKER SERIES where leaders in the agriculture sector will speak on trending issues that will impact on farming productivity and profitability. He said farmers will also be constantly trained on marketing, while agric crusades will be carried to colleges to catch them young. “AGRIC CEOS FORUM will also take place on constant basis to formulate policies and set up agendas that will keep boosting agriculture in the country,’’ he said.

While lauding government’s efforts at making access to agric loans easier, Dr. Deji Folutile said Nigerians should take advantage of government’s move by investing more in agriculture. “Agriculture is a viable source of income.

The abundance of farmable lands in the country goes to show how profitable farming could be in this part of the world. But, there is need for knowledge-based efforts for maximum impacts and that is the essence of equipping people with training to bridge existing knowledge gap. ‘’

He advised the government to continue to encourage more Nigerians to pursue agric-related businesses to boost the nation’s economy and empower the citizenry. “Starting early will ensure a steady flow of income for the country considering the volatility in the price of crude oil in the global oil market,’’ he explained.

He added that the farmers’ centre was rightly positioned to coordinate several agricultural initiatives that will enable the successes of different players in the agric sector.