A friend once asked, ‘Why are you doing this to yourself? It’s dirty, exhausting, and difficult.’
‘Soon the world will depend on Africa for food,’ I replied.
I come from a country where the majority of young girls my age think farming is a dirty job. Few engage in agricultural practice; getting white-collar jobs is the usual trend, where most of them end up wasting quality years job-hunting.
As a child, I had a passion for farming: the most interesting part is the sprouting of seeds a few days after planting. This usually thrilled me and gives me more drive to become a farmer.
After graduation I decided to get involved in the practice. I started on a small scale, hard working, with persistence and patience; I made progress and expanded my farm over time.
This inspired me to create a platform—EarthTab, an initiative that encourages, trains, and empowers women and youths of coachable age with a record of success of engaging in agricultural business in my community.
I am currently working on processing watermelon rinds to baking powder and chips from its fruit.
GCARD will enable me have a cross-border cultural experience, which will broaden my horizon in business and entrepreneurship, my acquaintance with other agripreneurs, and which will enable me add more value to my service to my community.
Agho P. Blessing is an Ambassador for YALI, the Young African Leaders Initiative, the initiator of EarthTab, and State Coordinator Food4AllNigeria.
Blogpost and picture submitted by Agho P Blessing (Nigeria) agho2015[at]yahoo.com
The content, structure and grammar are at the discretion of the author only.
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Great job Blessing!
I like what you are doing …supporting women and youths in agriculture. Rather than focusing on supporting rural, uneducated farmers; I sort of prefer to see more resources in favor young, educated and enthusiastic young persons and providing enabling technological solutions to grow their agribusiness fast.
I believe the young, educated agripreneurs are the ones that will create massive farms and processing companies that will eventually carter for the needs of the world. Of course, the rural farmers are the ones currently farming; but they are incapable of growing their little hobby into big businesses.
Just like your experience inspired you to start EarthTab, my own experience in poultry farming in Nigeria led me to start Afrimash – http://afrimash.com/ – an agricultural platform for connecting Nigerians agripreneurs with one another and the foreign community, share vital information and sell products and services in a secure way.
See you at the top!
Thanks Ayooyedotun, hope to connect with you.
I like Blessings passion for agriculture I have benefit from her training on tomato and Watermelon and cucumber
Thanks Micheal.
I love this concept no farmer no food, I support agho blessing
Thanks Emmaosa.
I love your initiative! Ladies barely go into agriculture. Keep it up Blessing#food4all.
Thanks Owen.
Nice concept Blessing! Ladies barely go into agriculture. Kindly keep it up#food4all
Wow, baking powder from watermelon rinds. Great innovation. I support you on this.
Thanks Emma.
Blessing is a motivator, i have been part of her training programs. Brilliant innovation producing baking powder from watermelon rinds.
Thanks Larry.
This is a welcome development in our community because a lot of people especially our youth see farming as a dirt job.
But they don’t realize that without farming, there will be no food in our country.
I support your innovative ideas.
Please keep it up. #181#GCARD3
Thanks for your support Destiny.
That’s the spirit. Blessing you have an inspiring story, an inspiring business and a bright future. 🙂
Thanks Darah.
Bravo Blessing! I hope you obtain all the support you need because this is a worthy course.
Thanks Irene.
Blessing you are doing a great job, keep it up, one of the things that will reboost our economy is agriculture and I am happy that not just a Nigeria is taking a bold step of blazing the trail but a woman is in the ride, and this is a great boost to all women out there, one great truth is when the mothers of a nation rise the nation rise. keep up the good work Blessing, wish you all the best.
Thanks for your support Ighile.
Agho blessing’s passion is second to none. As a matter of fact she is a leader of leaders and a distinguished farmer et al. Agriculture is the key to food security in Africa and with the over 74million hectares of land in Nigeria, we are sure of success.
Supporting women in agriculture is critical to the nation’s growth as the women are the home builders and societal support.
Let us unanimously support blessing. She’s got the vision, passion and virility to make things happen.
GO BLESSING! GO BLESSING!!
Thanks for your support Kunle. Please spread the message of women engaging in agriculture.
I am so amazed at this very rare innovation. You are charting the right course. This is in line with the present administratioin’s drive at diversifying the economy now that oil prices are nose-diving. Kudos! Edo shall soon be a hub. I appreciate you and wish you all the best, while we intend to explore corridors of mutual benefits particularly those that would put food on table of Nigerians.
Thanks for your support Nosa.
Dat grt job, our country nigeria we re suffering here
Thanks for your support Okafor. I think Nigerian youths have an active role to play in building the country.
#NigeriansCAN
I believe you can do this and I believe in agriculture and I believe in your project Food4all, you will be there.
Amen. Thanks for your support Akinwumi.
I am so amazed to see young woman like Blessing doing this great job, I support her passion a lot
Thanks for your support Derrick
Great Job
Thanks Lanre
Very Inspiring. Its one thing to have passion for something and another thing to put it into action. I so much cherish your zeal and activities in Agriculture because its almost a no go area for young ladies in this Generation. one thing that you and I have in common is passion for agriculture from childhood and you inspire me the more. This year I am taking it by storm.
Thanks Napoleon, it will be of great joy to have you as a colleague in farming.
#DoAgric
#ItPays!
Reallyu inspiring. Go ahead!!!
Thanks for your support Adonis.
Nice one Dear. Keep up the wonderful work.
Thanks Doyin
Nice One Dear. Keep up the good work. We need more passionate people like you.
You’re indeed an inspiration…your passion is causing radical positive change in Africa. Keep on Agho Blessing, you’re making a difference!
Thanks Acha
We support ABP
Thanks for your support Adedayo
I support
Greetings to you Bee… I am proudly in support of you… Kudos Dear! Great Spirit… Nigeria needs more Entrepreneurs and less applicants.
Let’s Do It…
Thanks for your support Basil
Great job blessing. Keep up the African spirit.
Thanks for your support Emmanuel
great job and great idea . see u at the top .
Thanks for your support Monday.
It is such a wonderful thing for you to be moved by something that you enjoy.
Here in the States, I am often saddened as I have watched the farms slowly being foreclosed on by the evil bankers, and regulations etc.
I have watched the farms shut down and millions of acre’s being taken over by nature, as the population has moved more to the cities.
So many have moved to the cities that the population in the recent decade, have more living in cities than we have in rural areas.
The youth’s are now missing all of those wonderful wonders that could have been experienced on farm lands.
Meanwhile an over grown central government, keeps creating more and more departments and agencies, in which have caused the quality of life to drop.
They are allowing shrimp caught in China to be injected with artificial jells so the weight can give a higher return.
They are allowing rice from China, that is using plastic as a filler.
Etc. etc.
Processed foods loaded with every known chemical one could imagine, just for profits.
Monsanto company genetically modifying vegetables, and then applying for a patent (on life).
If a farmer plants their seeds, and it blows over onto a nearby farm, and that seed which is aggressive, takes hold, Monsanto can have a seize and desist order issued, and your entire crop destroyed, even though your crop was contaminated by their product by no initiative on your part.
So please be very careful, and do not allow Monsanto, or any other company that genetically modifies seeds to even be allowed to be sold or planted in your country.
Sure their seeds increase production, but the nutritional values get removed, so you can eat, eat, and eat, and still be hungry.
This is the reason for the popularity of Trump, people are tired of the establishment destroying lives, by supporting greed.
May the Almighty bless you and your’s, and may you enjoy abundance.