The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has identified youth mobilisation for agriculture as critical to the transformation of the food system in Nigeria.
IFAD Nigeria Country Director, Ms Dede Ekoue, said this yesterday at the 2022 edition of Federal Government of Nigeria/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) National Youth Forum, themed: “Promoting Sustainable Youth Empowerment in Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship,” in Abuja.
Ekoue said youths accounted for 70% of its population “and the size and youthfulness of the Nigeria population offers great potential to expand the country’s capacity at the regional economic hub of Africa and globally.”
According to her, this can be achieved by using agribusiness, entrepreneurship and technology to improve the livelihoods of youths and women, thereby enhancing food security, boosting economic growth and accessing decent employment.
Agricultural development presents an opportunity to meet young people’s aspirations for stable jobs and access to social services which are normally absent in rural areas.
Youth farmers
Ekoue decried that despite Nigeria’s youthful population, the average age of farmers was about 60, adding that the sector is yet to maximise the country’s demographic dividend of young population.
“Nigeria’s young women and men should remain top priority by all of us. They deserve our support to reach their full potential, allowing them to prosper and also ensuring sustainable productive life,” she said.
She added that the world’s youth population, expected to grow employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for young women and men, remained limited particularly for those living in economically stagnant rural areas of developing countries.
“Agricultural development presents an opportunity to meet young people’s aspirations for stable jobs and access to social services which are normally absent in rural areas.
“These ambitions constitute common push factors promoting an increase in migration for young men and women in most developing countries,” she said.
Ekoue informed that the FGN/IFAD-assisted VCDP has continued to significantly contribute to the promotion of sustainable youth empowerment in agribusiness and entrepreneurship among young men and women in the country.
According to her, there are over 35,000 youths participating in the project at the moment, adding that the alignment of IFAD Country Strategy with the Federal Government priorities provided a unique opportunity to play a central role in empowering the Nigerian youth.
The project also offers the opportunity to transform the rural areas, reduce poverty and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ekoue continued: “Youth is a key priority for the 12th Replenishment of IFAD Resources (IFAD12) as reflected in IFAD’s Strategic Framework.
“The FGN through our key partners- Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Ministry of Finance-IFAD has co-financed and is co-financing projects that are youth-sensitive.
“We are also promoting sustainable empowerment of young men and women in agribusiness and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.”
She identified IFAD as a premium partner and part of the United Nation’s Systems, ever ready to contribute to a sustainable partnership and collaboration with the government and all stakeholders.
According to her, the partnership has resulted in greater progress for young women and men, better production, better nutrition, a better environment and life; leaving no one behind.
The Ministry is currently implementing a robust national youth and gender policy aimed at empowering youth and women, developing potential for growth and contributing to national developments.
Programme objectives
National Programme Coordinator, FGN/IFAD-VCDP, Dr Fatima Aliyu, said the programme objective is to increase the incomes, food and nutrition security of smallholders and producers who cultivated about five hectares of either cassava or rice.
The programme is also targeted at processors who process about two metric tons of cassava and mill four metric tons of rice daily and traders on a sustainable basis.
She said: “IFAD-VCDP is implemented by the Nigerian government with funding support by IFAD in nine states of Anambra, Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa, Ogun and Taraba.
“IFAD assisted-VCDP of the FMARD Youth Forum holds every year to discuss contemporary issues relating to youth and entrepreneurship development in Nigeria to showcase the programme’s contribution to the government’s efforts at combating youth unemployment in Nigeria.”
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, in his keynote address, said the huge population of youths was largely unemployed or underemployed.
Abubakar, represented by the Director, Projects Coordinating Unit (PCU) FMARD, Ubandoma Ularamu, said the population is endowed with resourcefulness, patriotism necessary for national growth and development.
He said: “The need to harness and develop these potentials to their fullest has been one of the major policy focuses of this administration with the Ministry playing the major role of being the largest employer of labour both actual and potential.
“The Ministry is currently implementing a robust national youth and gender policy aimed at empowering youth and women, developing potential for growth and contributing to national development.
“Agriculture is a key sector of the Nigerian economy which ensures food security, creates jobs, opens up rural economies, provides raw materials and develops latent resources and potential.
“It has remained a major contributor to Nigeria from the non-oil sector.” (NAN)
