“. . . Do not set your mind on lofty things (Or cultivate lofty ideas), but be led along with the lowly things . . . -Romans 12:16.
Once upon a time, during my work as a schoolteacher, one of my colleagues at work once asked an assembly of schoolchildren if they would like to become farmers, and they all shouted in response with an emphatic NO!!! She had asked the question quite connotatively, in a way that would elicit a negative reaction/response from the pupils, thereby promoting a feeling of disdain for farmers and for the work they do.
Many young people don’t want to be farmers. They want an easier job in an office where they are sure of their money. This is sad, because we must grow more food in our country to feed the growing population. Also, in Nigeria, too much emphasis is usually placed on getting a university education and merely acquiring paper qualifications, not minding if the holder of such paper qualifications actually possesses the required knowledge and skills. Nigerians generally have this mentality that a university degree is more important than technical/vocational education and training. We live in a society that places a high value on white-collar jobs and professionals, a society where blue-collar work is considered as low status. Parents want their children to pursue careers that will enable them maintain or even increase their high status. They want their children to get high-paying professional jobs. They see Vocational Education as secondary and not important. They just want academic success for their children. Many schools even place a high premium on gaining admission into top ivy-league colleges/universities. This has resulted in reduced economic opportunities for those who are more work-oriented. It is therefore very necessary and important that parents be re-educated and enlightened regarding the value of occupations that are not high on the social status scale.
Currently, 70 per cent or more of the people of Nigeria are farmers. Farming is hard work. And God’s Word, the Bible encourages hard work, especially working with one’s hands. (Ephesians 4:28 and 1 Thessalonians 4: 11, 12). And indeed, the work of farming, or agriculture, tends to be very well suited to this Biblical counsel to work hard and to work with one’s hands. In fact, Agriculture or Farming happens to be one of the earliest occupations of humankind. The Holy Scriptures indicate this as we read from Genesis 1: 26 – 31; also: Genesis 2:5; and 2:15. When God created Man, He gave him the work of cultivating the ground and tending for the animals – which translates to the definition of agriculture as we know it today: “The cultivation of crops and the rearing of animals for man’s use.”
Furthermore, in Bible times, the people whom God chose to be His special people – the Israelites, had as their main occupation Agriculture, or Farming. Agriculture also occupied an important place in the legislation given to the Israelites. Also, the three annual festivals that the Israelites were commanded to celebrate were timed to coincide with agricultural seasons. Furthermore, the Israelites had two types of calendars – the sacred Jewish calendar, and their secular calendar. The first month of the Israelites’ secular calendar, Ethanim (which was later called ‘Tishri’ after the period of their exile in Babylon), and which corresponds to part of September and part of October in our present Gregorian calendar, was the beginning of the Israelites’ Agricultural Year, and denoted the initiation of new agricultural operations.
However, considered realistically, Agriculture, or the work of farming, can be considered to be a difficult occupation, and so much can go wrong with the crops and animals in spite of the farmer’s efforts. Sometimes, the young plants die because there is not enough rain, and sometimes they die because the rain is too heavy. Sometimes the plants are eaten by insects and at other times they don’t grow well because the soil is poor. Farmers therefore have to watch their crops [and animals] anxiously.
Also, while I was browsing through the University of Oxford’s website sometime in 2025, I came across an interesting piece titled: “Food, water and agriculture.” In the lengthy article, it was mentioned that: “Agriculture is a major driver of humanity’s most pressing environmental problems.” The article went on to state that: “Agriculture is the single biggest catalyst for biodiversity loss, deforestation, water scarcity, pollution and pesticide toxicity . . . Around 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food production, and half of the world’s habitable land is used for agriculture.” I wondered if, perhaps, that is one of the reasons why the University of Oxford does not offer a course of study in Agriculture.
Regarding this article, I e-mailed my feedback to the University of Oxford, stating that I felt the article tended to place Agriculture in more of a negative light, going by its mentioning Agriculture as being one of the largest contributors to climate and environmental problems. I also stated that I think and feel that rather than placing the blame for climate and environmental problems on Agriculture itself, human efforts at improving agricultural production (both noble and those motivated by greed), such as the use of chemicals like pesticides and others in agriculture act as some of the major contributors to climate and environmental problems, and not necessarily the common or natural practice of agriculture in itself. Sometimes, greed, which propels or motivates some humans to go into extremes in their efforts to make more money from agriculture/farming, makes them contribute, in one way or another, towards the worsening climatic and environmental problems.
Also, it would be recalled that after the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, God cursed the ground and said that ‘in pain Man would eat the produce of the ground/earth.’ Man would have to sweat hard before he reaps the fruitage of the earth. (Genesis 3: 17 – 19) So, it is now more difficult than it was at Creation, to reap the good fruitage of man’s agricultural efforts.
Although modern science and scientists have tried hard to enhance or improve the produce we get from our agricultural efforts (for example through the use of chemicals, pesticides, Genetically Modified Organisms/Foods (GMOs), and so on), it is only, I believe, under God’s Kingdom (which Christ Jesus instructed his followers to pray for in Matthew 6:9, 10), that the effects of Adam and Eve’s sin, on the earth, will be reversed.
So, in the meantime, as we continue to endure and persevere in this age, or system of things, let us not become apathetic towards the learning and practice of agriculture/farming. Pupils and students in school should still be taught about agricultural/farming practice and encouraged to own farms. The establishment of school farms/gardens should be encouraged in both private and public primary and secondary schools, and schools should be provided with the necessary logistics for the successful implementation of the whole agricultural science curriculum, while the school farms serve as fields or laboratories for the training of the pupils and students, with the basic focus being on skills development and self-reliance. The idea behind this should be to make agriculture an integral part of the school culture, so the pupils and students are well positioned to appreciate farming, and make it a lifestyle, even if they do not intend to specialize in it.
Also, there are modern, sustainable and climate-smart methods of practicing agriculture/farming today, which cause little or no harm to the environment. For example, there is this free one-year training program on practical, modern and sustainable agriculture offered by The Leventis Foundation Nigeria (www.leventisfoundation.org.ng
I fondly remember applying for this program in October 2018 (for the 2018/2019 training set), and successfully receiving an invitation for the entrance examination and interviews, for which I travelled down to Ilesa, Osun State to take part in. I believe that this kind of opportunity is a very good one for a person willing to receive training in practical, modern and sustainable agriculture.
Additionally, to encourage participation in agriculture, the government (as well as banks) has a variety of initiatives that are meant to promote and support agriculture/farming in Nigeria. They also give loans to farmers. Farmers can become wealthy, as they use modern methods and buy tractors and ploughs to help them on their farms. If a farmer has got a tractor, he can plough a large area of land and increase the size of his farm. We can therefore reap better results from our agricultural efforts.
So, instead of adopting the negative, apathetic attitude and perception of many towards the learning and practice of agriculture/farming, why not start on the road to becoming a happy and successful farmer by planting something today! For example, did you know that in the coming month of March it will be the season for growing: Early Maize/Corn; Late Yam; Cassava; and Oil Palm? And in April: Early Maize/Corn, Late Yam, Cassava, Cowpea (Beans), Okra, Banana and Groundnuts? Could you start your farming experience this March/April by trying out your hands on growing any of these crops?
So, how do you plant yams, for example? First, make sure you dry the Yam head or sett under the sun for a while before you plant it. Next, make a heap of soil. Then open a hole on the heap of soil. Place the cut head or sett of yam inside the hole, with the cut surface turned upward and placed slantly at an angle of 45° (45 degrees) before covering it with soil. The yam plant would usually sprout between 3 to 6 weeks after planting. However, sometimes it can take an even longer time to sprout, as I have personally experienced. Remember to water the crop regularly, every morning and evening. In time, you should also stake the growing plant/crop with strong sticks or bamboo. This ensures adequate exposure of the leaf surface to sunlight and increases its yield. The yam will be mature and ready for harvesting usually within 8 to 12 months after planting. So, why not start planting ‘today’?!
A book of Poems titled: “DEAD LIONS DON’T ROAR” – a collection of poetic wisdom for the discerning, authored by a talented UK-based Nigerian, Mr. Tolu’ A. Akinyemi, has this to say in one of the poems found on page 68 of his book, titled: “MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES”: “The wise plant their crops in planting season, To reap the rewards in the season of harvest, Many a people eat their seed, Living a vain life with no results to show, The ignominy to come a cross to bear, Awake thou early in the morning, Thy hand on the plough, Lest the night rest is eroded, A word they say is enough for the wise.”
And, talking about wisdom/foolishness, does not the Holy Scriptures say in 1st Corinthians Chapter 1, verses 19 and 20, among other things: . . . I will make the wisdom of the wise men perish, and the intelligence of the intellectuals I will reject. . . . Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?” (See also: 1st Corinthians Chapter 3, verses 18 to 20/ 21).
Wishing you all the best in your endeavours as you enjoy being a farmer!
