Dr Victor Adeniran, the Executive Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has urged Nigerians to embrace agriculture as a viable sector to get the nation out of economic recession.

Adeniran told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday that the present downturn in the economy had drawn out the importance of Agriculture in the drive towards our economic revival.He said in spite of the fact that oil sector had provided the mainstay of the economy of Nigeria over the years, "the reality is that we must revive our agriculture to exit from economic recession".

Adeniran said that it was in realisation of this fact that the NNPC was planning to invest heavily into the cultivation of Jathropha, a plant that had a lot of value for production of bio fuels, as an alternative to fossil fuels.

"This investment will boost employment generation, with catalyse agricultural linkage with oil and gas which is desirable for economic growth, " he said.

He called on agricultural based communities to realise their potential in the scheme of things and be prepared to harness the renewed focus on agriculture.

He also called for the revival of the Orin-Ekiti farm settlement scheme and other farm settlements created by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo to make them the pivot of youth empowerment in this period of recession.

"Farmers and those who add value to farm produce are the ones who can benefit from the current foreign exchange regime.

"Our youths should be encouraged to embrace this agriculture initiative as a way to solve the unemployment quagmire that stare us in the face, " he said.

Source: http://nigerianewsnow.com.ng/2016/10/24/nnpc-director-urges-nigerians-to-embrace-agric-to-exit-economy-recession/