“Youths Should Go back To the Farms”: 26-Year-Old Graduate Who Earns a Living as a Farmer Gives Valid Reasons

CURSORY: A young Nigerian man who is a graduate has urged youths to embrace farming, gives reasons, explains his journey as a farmer.

Jeremiah Justice who hails from Umuokoro Umuariam, Obowo LGA, in Imo state has always been passionate about farming.

Because of this, he studied agricultural economics, extension and rural development at Imo State University, Owerri, where he finished the third-best graduating student of his 2015 set.

He named his business ‘Speculate’ because that happened to be his alias on campus where he was actively a student unionist.

In his words:

“The “Speculate” was my nickname. I was an active student unionist during my days at Imo state university. “So the name speculate was my aluta name I used during my election and campaign days at Imo State University.

“So when I graduated from the university I decided to name my farm Speculate Farms and Agribusiness.”

He revealed that although setting up the business cost millions of naira, it was done gradually in installments.

“Well, the money I spent in setting up the farm was N3 million. It was done in installments; that’s, this was done gradually until I was able to achieve it.”

Presently, he is into crop production (plantain, banana, cucumber, maize, cassava, watermelon, yam and so forth), animal production (catfish, pigs, goat, snail, poultry, rabbit, etc), agroforestry, and also renders fumigation services.

His business also accepts students for industrial training attachments.

Justice noted that there is no business without its challenges.

According to him, his major challenge is getting funds to expand the business. He said expansion is necessary as it engenders higher inputs which in turn births higher profits. The businessman added that the high cost of farm inputs is another serious issue.

“…In the market, the prices change with high differences from the older prices without proper justification.”

While decrying the lack of government intervention in supplying farmers with improved imported varieties, Justice said it is difficult for farmers to access funds from financial bodies in other for them to support their businesses.

“Also poor enabling environment and insecurities in the country farmers are scarred of investing into. farming,” he highlighted.

Justice however found it hilarious that some youths rate white-collar jobs above farming.

“(Laughs) I believe this (misconception that farming is a shameful profession) is an old perception about farming because as of then there was nothing like mechanized farming. Then farming was indeed stressful and time-consuming.

“But in this modern age, technology has made farming very easy for everyone we now have tractors, plough, planter, and harvester that plays the manual role for us now.”

Infact, Justice believes all hardworking Nigerian youths should venture into farming as it is a flexible profession.

“Farming is flexible. It permits you to do any other business you wish to do.” He added that farming will augur well for the nation’s economy. “It will also help boost the country’s economy because if we have enough to eat, then we can now talk of exporting most of our farm produce to other countries and generate revenue for our country

“After all, agriculture was Nigeria’s first source of income thereby boosting our economy before we found crude oil”.

He said normalcy will return when more youths embrace farming like him.

“So I will advice all hardworking youth to go back to the farm let’s help revive our economy back to normalcy.”

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