Deputy Food and Agriculture Minister, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, has urged the youth to pursue courses and jobs in the field of agriculture instead of white-collar jobs.

According to him, the agriculture sector has embraced modernization and thus would need the services of professionals.

In this regard, Mr. Nyarko argued that the agriculture sector is a possible solution to the employment challenges in the country. He made this known at the launch of the 2018 edition of the National Food and Agriculture Show at the Airport West Hotel.

“Agriculture needs all manner of professionals, and has moved beyond cutlass and hoe bearing persons who can hardly embrace modern best practices. From veterinary officers to the research fellows, extension personnel and all others in between, the sector remains potentially a major employer, yet most of us fail to perceive this and end up missing the opportunity”, the Deputy Minister explained.

Delivering a speech on behalf of the Food and Agriculture Minister at the launch, Kennedy Osei Nyarko blamed the poor status of the agriculture sector on the hunger for corporate jobs by the youth, which he linked to the low patronage of agriculture courses in the tertiary institutions.

“The real task of making agriculture the pathfinder of our nation’s development starts with us and it must begin with an important shift in attitude and mentality. The penchant for corporate jobs after leaving school needs a second look. This is heightened by recent dwindle in numbers of student applicants to study Agriculture in the universities and other tertiary institutions”, he asserted.

He challenged stakeholders in the agriculture sector to make the sector more attractive to the youth, and position it strategically to make the needful contributions to the GDP.

The National Food and Agriculture Show (FAGRO) is a private agribusiness platform that was established in 2009 to support the strengthening of Ghana’s agriculture locally and internationally through the organization of agric exhibitions, seminars, conferences, trade promotions capacity building and other programmes and initiatives.