Yared Getinet is a manager of Yared and Friends’ Seedling Production Firm at Merawi, Amhara State.
In connection with the 2nd National Rural Youths’ Job Creation Exhibition and bazaar held last week with satisfaction stamped face he was busy presenting his and his friends’ successful business venture for visitors on field tour.
He has BSc in botanical science. After he worked for some months as an employee he decided to remold his fate. He to persuade his friends to follow, they borrowed some 50 thousand Birr startup capital.
They had to fight wrong-headed perception entrenched in the psyche of the community from which they hailed. Community members were of the opinion that a man of letters could not lapse to be a farmer again.
Against the teeth of mockery that accompanies such beliefs they proved successful turning unheeding ears. Persevering, now they have more than a million Birr capital. Also their firm currently has about seven permanent employees “Of course the job poses challenges especially for graduates. But we found it to be highly profitable. As such it has changed our life. If youths prove strong and square face challenges, they will turn out to be effective,” he said.
Other firms too did recount their business exploits and lamented the prejudice highly challenging them in engaging to create job on the sector of agriculture. And they pledged to work hard regarding changing specially youths’ mindset to be productive in the country.
Kaba Urgesa, State Minister at Ministry of Agriculture told to The Ethiopian Herald that if ailment is known the remedy will not be long in coming. Everything has a solution. The main problem related to rural unemployment is the abysmal attention attached to agriculture.
There is a need to modernize the agriculture sector unshackling it from the apron string of outmoded practices. It requires working on changing the youths’ perception, then, unemployment around rural areas can be curbed.
He noted, agriculture is a base for the whole sectors. So, if there is a call for rendering it modern youths could join the sector easily. It is not the government’s responsibility alone; we have to create family who wishes to have farmers’ children.
There is also a call for inspiring teachers that instill entrepreneurship sentiment in their students to create graduates who have free enterprise idea, Kaba added.
Sileshi Bekele, Rural Job Creation Director at the Ministry said that there is a lot to be desired in upturning the mindset of the youth regarding job creation in the country.
“The youths are not threats for their country. Rather they are instruments to increase efficiency. On the other hand, the main job opportunity potential in the country resides in agriculture.
So by modernizing the sector and changing the youths’ mindset, it is possible to bump up productivity” he added. Sileshi noted, now the government, together with stakeholders, has been working on changing perception, but we have to focus more on youths who are graduating from higher education.
The Ethiopian Herald January 19/2020
BY GENET FEKADE
