By Rotimi Famakin
As part of efforts to ensure food sufficiency and boost the nation’s economy through agriculture, sixty staff of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Ibadan, have been trained in urban farming techniques.
The Senior Staff Association of FRCN in the zone organised the training, which was held at Studio One, Radio Nigeria Broadcasting House, Dugbe, Ibadan.
Addressing the participants, the guest lecturer, who is also the pastor in charge of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG Jubilee Zonal headquarters, Ibadan, Pastor Okechukwu Nwankwo emphasized the need for farmers to be patient, use quality seeds and soil to nurture the growth of crops in an urban farming system.
Pastor Nwankwo said FRCN staff needed to develop the urban farming system to sustain themselves regardless of the prevailing situation in the economy.
“Hunger does not need prayer. You grow what you eat. So far, you have a compound, just get bags. Put sand on it. Water it. Plant your seed on it. Go to work and come back and water it. They are not crying. They are not placing any demand on you. For you to succeed in urban farming or the main farm, you need four major things. First, you need quality seed. You need quality water. You need quality sand. You must be available through your quality time, and you have to be patient.”
Earlier, the chairman of, FRCN Senior Staff Association, Ibadan Zonal Station, Mr Sunday Olowokere, said the training was considered necessary to keep staff afloat before and after their retirement.
“We decided to have this programme for the Senior Staff Association members so that our members will get prepared and established before their retirement, so that even if they retire, it will be easy for them to sustain themselves after retirement.”
Also speaking, the Zonal Director, FRCN, Ibadan Zonal Station, Mr Dominic Mokikan, said the lecture was an eye-opener to modern farming techniques.
Mr Mokikan, however, urged the staff to imbibe the farming system and adopt its principles as outlined by the lecturer.
“This is an eye-opening kind of workshop. Like I said in my address, workshops are meant to impact knowledge on people. It is another thing for a workshop to impact knowledge; it is another thing for people to allow the knowledge to have an effect. I will just advise that if our eyes have been opened to this opportunity which we never knew before now, I will just advise that we should imbibe it. Embrace this to yourself and don’t forget the formula he gave you to succeed in life. You have to be determined. You have to be patient.”
The highlight of the lecture was the display of samples of crops on disposable bags
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