In a quest to boost Agriculture productivity in the country, government through the Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and Water development has wooed the youth to be active in Agriculture sector.
The appeal went out Wednesday at Chitedze Community Day Secondary School where Agriculture Program for Southern Africa-APPSA had an event carrying a message: engaging the youth in agriculture.
Speaking in an interview, deputy director for technological transfer in the department of research in the ministry of Agriculture David Luka praised the youth saying they stand a better position to speed up the productivity in Agriculture unlike the elderly whose their workability has lost value due to age.
Luka further said the coming of technological means of production is an issue to some elders who fail to operate in such environment following that the improved methods of farming are scientific in nature.
“Involving the youth in Agriculture nowadays is a crucial decision since we have perceived that youth are fresh and active. Remember that we are living in a technological realm and youth stand a better position to adopt this environment. They learn in class and it is very easy for them to turn what they grasp in class into practical,” said Luka.
However, Luka said government has not put aside resources that can help the youth to venture into Agriculture they are invited in.
But he admitted that government is ready and geared to support the youth who show enthusiasm in Agriculture.
Concurring with Luka, an official in the research department Hekita Malaitsa hailed this development claiming that Youth have sharp brain and imparting them skills related to Agriculture at their tender age may be a strong weapon that can help the country to continue enjoying Agriculture.
Meanwhile, Malaitsa has urged the youth to take farming as a serious business than anything else including the white- collar job.
“This is the right time the country should tell the youth what farming can do in their life. If the country is to move forward in Agriculture productivity youth have to be positioned in front and equip them with enough knowledge relating to Agriculture. They are strong people, so creative and innovative hence when incorporated in Agriculture, the country should expect double boost,” Malaitsa said.
But some of the youth Malawi24 spoke bemoaned high prices of farm inputs and requested government to work on it so that accessibility to the inputs should not be an issue.
Currently APPSA is working with students from different schools only to expose them to advanced means of production.
APPSA is a project that is under World Bank and is expected to end in January next year.
