|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The entrance of social media to the communication world has eased and increased interaction among people, and this is influencing the way agriculture and agribusiness are practiced worldwide. Agriculture is core in the economic growth of any nation because of the inevitability of its potentials while the youths are the efficient workforce of every nation.
The integration of social media with agriculture, can serve as an important new tool for agriculture/agribusiness development. More so, considering the fact that social media, is the most effective means to engage the youths in agricultural/agribusiness pursuits.
The possible ways of using social media in Agriculture and Agribusiness development include:
• As a tool for quick information sharing on specific topic such as group or forum discussion on Maize Farming, Fish Farming, Lives Stock, Poultry Farming etc
• Social media as means of quick financial discussion and review for agro commodities.
• The tool can be used for remote farm monitoring; this is a good tool for youths or investors using agriculture as means of alternative income
• Social Media as means for agro trading and investment
• Agriculture extension services could be easily conducted via social media
• Agribusiness investment solutions and tracking through mobile app
• Breaking the barriers of rural urban migrations
• Weather monitoring for agricultural services
• Using social media as a means of practicing agribusiness value chains
• Means of conducting and/or participating in online trainings (free or commercial)
Also, we expect to see the Agricultural sector coming up with more innovative agribusiness solutions through the use of mobile apps that will cater to the influx of young people into the industry.
The youth agriculturalists in Nigeria must tap the benefits of the social media in order to change the face of agricultural practice in Nigeria and avoid being left out of global trends. Nigerian youths should constantly use the social media to collect ideas and share knowledge on various farming techniques globally, and reach out for opinions.
It is glaring that agricultural development is of great importance to a nation because of the numerous advantages that comes with it, however there must be deliberate efforts to “recruit” the youths into this venture if it must succeed. The youths who account for more than half the population of Nigeria can successfully drive the agricultural sector if shown the “how to do it” via the social media.
This is an important factor because the social media is the most effective means to communicate with the youths as they spend most of their time accessing one platform of the other. Since the social media has the major platforms youth use for communication, then government, investors and farmers should use it to introduce the “catch-them-young strategy” and return the youth back to Agriculture.
Oluwafemi Abioye, Co-Founder/Ceo, Agricmedia
