Food security: FG to empower 6m youths
The Federal Government has said that the over six million youths captured in the data of the Ministry of Youth development would be empowered and equipped to expand food security, boost agricultural productivity and support the expansion of the national economy. Speaking yesterday in Abuja while signing a memorandum of understanding named Youth in Agribusiness […]
The Federal Government has said that the over six million youths captured in the data of the Ministry of Youth development would be empowered and equipped to expand food security, boost agricultural productivity and support the expansion of the national economy.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja while signing a memorandum of understanding named Youth in Agribusiness Land Trust Fund (YALTF) in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Minister of Youths Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande said the youths would be trained on skills to become successful agribusiness entrepreneurs and as well, lands would be provided for their farm businesses.
He noted that when youths are provided with the right opportunities, skills, and enabling environment, they can become powerful drivers of economic growth, innovation, and transformation within the agricultural sector.
Olawande noted that the initiative was designed to address one of the most serious challenges confronting young people who wish to participate in agriculture.
The initiative, he said, represents a forward-looking strategy aimed at strengthening food security and improving agricultural productivity in Nigeria.
Satisfied by the innovative framework presented by IITA, he noted that the approach designed to address one of the greatest challenges faced by young people in agriculture which was lack of access to land was good.
“Therefore, by building on the network of the Ministry’s 42 National Youth Development Centres to facilitate land access across the country, we have achieved a practical and sustainable solution,” he said.
Olawande assured that the lands for farming would be secured for the Nigerians youths, while he informed that the technical teams from both the Ministry and IITA were ready to start work immediately.
On his part, Director General, IITA, Dr. Simeon Ehui noted that challenges affecting the youths in the country was the lack of meaningful economic opportunities, hence, Agriculture can and should be part of the solution.
He said young people who want to enter agriculture often face significant barriers such as limited access to land, restricted access to finance, weak market linkages, and insufficient access to modern agribusiness skills.
He said by repurposing 42 Federal Youth Development Centres across the country and consolidating their land assets into a dedicated land trust, Nigeria was creating a national platform through which young people can access land, training, and enterprise opportunities.
“These centres will evolve into Agribusiness Innovation Hubs, where young Nigerians can acquire practical skills, launch agribusiness ventures, and connect to markets and investors.”