The Federal Government has organised a training programme for 42 selected agriculture extension workers in Osun State, on extension tools, methodologies and selected agricultural value chains.

The training was aimed at preventing the drift in the agriculture extension system and help to revitalise the country’s economy.

At the programme, which was facilitated by experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the participants were exposed to modern techniques in planting and harvesting cash crops to ensure maximum.

Speaking at the event held in Iwo, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Mahmood, identified the decrease in funding of the agriculture extension system as one of the reasons for youth reactiveness in the country.

He said training of extension agents in the state, among other strategies, would “halt the drift in the agriculture extension system and help to revitalise the country’s economy”.

Mahmood, who was represented by the Osun State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Sunday Atoyebi, said, “Over the years, the fortunes of the agricultural extension system has declined majorly due to decreased funding, policy changes, reduced manpower, and lack of interest of young people in agricultural entrepreneurship.

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“This situation has affected food production, exposing the country to the dangers of unemployment, youth restiveness and economic instability.”

In his remarks, the Osun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Adedayo Adewole, represented by the Coordinating Director of the ministry, Gbemisola Fayoyin, commended the organisers of the programme and encouraged the participants to make the best use of the opportunity.