The former president, John Mahama, is urging the youth in Africa to embrace agriculture and not neglect that sector.
According to him, although there are many challenges within the sector, it has the potential of transforming economies within the continent.
John Mahama said the majority of the youth currently in Agriculture in Africa considered it as an add-on to their mainstream jobs but said there are many benefits taking up agriculture fully as a source of employment.
While bemoaning the many bottlenecks within the sector, he said the government has a major role to play to ensure that such challenges are addressed to encourage much more people to work within the sector.
“I do think that investments are going into the agric sector but they must have a multiplier effect on the economy, and what we need to do is to continue creating an enabling environment for investments to come into the sector,” Mahama said.
Addressing a gathering at the 52nd Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group in India, added that “Most people who bring foreign investors are looking at the oil and gas sector, they are looking into gold mining because those are areas where the profits are almost immediate once you put in the investment.”
John Mahama noted that although the various governments have resolved to help improve the sector in their respective countries, the results of their actions will be determined by factors that include the passion of the individual leader.
“There is an increasing commitment by African leaders towards expanding agricultural production and a lot of discussions have taken place in the African Union for a common agricultural development policy. But I believe that from country to country, it depends on the passion of a particular leader for agriculture,” he said.
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By: Jonas Nyabor/citfimonline.com/Ghana