Pelumi Salas Aribisala is a young farmer, an agropreneur and the Chief Consultant of Ogunmod Farmers Academy, Mamu Iwo, Osun state where young people are groomed to be farmers. He’s one of the Exhibitors at the 1st African Youth Agric Festival 2014, Nigeria where he showcased processed fufu flour, garri, pineapple chips, yam flour- all beautifully well-packaged in glossy, eye-catching cover. In this chat with OneBeatNigeria, he talks about his venture into agriculture, the prospects in agriculture, and likely challenges to be faced. Enjoy!
Q1. May we meet you?
My name is Pelumi Salas Aribisala. I’m a farmer, well I consider myself an agropreneur. What I do is using money to make money and contribute to the economy through agriculture. We have a complete farm: crop, animal, waste management and train youths also on profitable agriculture. That’s what we do.
Q2. What are the benefits in doing agriculture considering the fact that many young people take it to be boring, tedious and unglamorous?
Gone are the days when the idea we have of a farmer is that of a poor, wretched-looking old man. Now, farming is serious business. I dress in suit in the morning and go to farm. When I get to the farm, I change and get to work. If you see me in town, you’ll never believe am a farmer and am young. I’m a youth. So I use my story to encourage other youths. I started on 10 hectares of land and today we have over 800 hectares of land. And what I want youths to know is that based on their age, vibrancy and strength—this is the best time for them to go into farming; they shouldn’t wait until they make all the money. Farming is a good way to make sustainable living and income. And if youths come into agriculture, they can be very sure that it’s good business because as long as people will continue to eat—you’re in business.
Q3. Can you tell us about possible challenges likely to confront youths in doing agriculture?
Sincerely, there are challenges in doing agriculture just like every other enterprise around. Major challenges in agriculture involve – accessing suitable land, adequate funding; then there is the question of trust. It is difficult getting young people you can trust to work with you. Many young people just want to come and make away with the money made. Some come to learn things from you and off they go and duplicate them. Duplication is allowed in agriculture but there is need mentorship. Try to see mentorship. Learn. Go for internship. Learn the ropes before launching out. If you can learn very well, it means you’d be able to prepare your soil properly and face any challenge courageously – then you’ll make profit.
Q4. Today being the International Youth Day, what word do you have for young people?
What I have to tell young people out there is that this is the time for them to take everything into their hands. Take their future and destiny into their hands. A lot of leaders in our country are already passing away because they are old; and things operate differently in our time. The time is now for youths to actually make the future of this country into our hands and chart a developmental way forward for not just Nigeria but the whole of Africa.
One Beat Nigeria 