Hon. Tomisin Edu Falade, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Akure North State Constituency, has commended Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for his plan to take agricultural development to all 203 wards in Ondo State, describing the initiative as an opportunity to unlock the economic potential of young people at the grassroots.
Tomisin stated this during a radio programme monitored by PalacePulse News in Akure on Friday, where she said agriculture could become a major avenue for youth empowerment, job creation and food security if young people were given the necessary encouragement and support.
She described the 203-ward agricultural initiative as a grassroots approach capable of bringing farming opportunities closer to residents and encouraging wider participation in food production.
According to her, agriculture has moved far beyond the traditional image of subsistence farming and should now be regarded as a modern business involving technology, mechanisation, processing, marketing and investment.
She said the youths of Akure North must be positioned to benefit from the opportunities that could emerge from the agricultural initiative.
She stated that when elected to represent Akure North in the Ondo State House of Assembly, she would invest significantly in programmes aimed at encouraging youths to embrace subsistence, commercial and mechanised farming.
She said her vision would be to expose young people to modern farming methods and encourage them to develop agricultural ventures capable of generating income and employment.
Tomisin noted that young people could participate in various aspects of the agricultural value chain, including crop production, livestock, mechanised farming, processing, packaging and marketing.
She further stressed that empowering youths in agriculture would require more than encouraging them to farm, adding that training, access to modern equipment, financing and markets would also be essential.
The APC candidate commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for extending his agricultural vision to all 203 wards, saying the initiative could create opportunities for communities to become more active participants in the state’s food production drive.
She urged young people in Akure North to begin looking at agriculture from a different perspective and consider it a viable pathway to entrepreneurship and economic independence.
Tomisin also said her aspiration to serve in the House of Assembly was driven by her determination to promote practical initiatives that would benefit her constituents.
She expressed optimism that greater youth participation in agriculture could strengthen food production, create jobs and stimulate economic activity across Akure North.
She therefore called on the youths of the constituency to embrace the emerging opportunities in agriculture and prepare themselves to become active participants in what she described as a new phase of grassroots agricultural development in Ondo State.
