Faisal Usman Fagge
The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Youth Development has partnered with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture to expand youth participation in agriculture through the launch of the Youth in Agribusiness Land Trust Fund (YALTF).
The initiative was unveiled on Tuesday in Abuja during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and IITA aimed at creating new opportunities for young Nigerians in the agricultural sector.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, said the programme was designed to harness the country’s youth population as a key driver of national development.
“As we have always emphasised in our engagements, Nigerian youth population remains the greatest asset for our country,” Olawande said.
He noted that empowering young people with the right skills and opportunities would strengthen the agricultural sector and support national economic growth.
“When provided with the right opportunities, skills, and enabling environment, young people can become powerful drivers of economic growth, innovation, and transformation within the agricultural sector,” the minister said.
Olawande explained that the initiative also seeks to tackle one of the major barriers preventing young people from entering agriculture, limited access to land.
“I am particularly happy by the innovative framework presented by IITA, especially the approach designed to address one of the greatest challenges faced by young people in agriculture, lack of access to land,” he said.
According to him, the ministry will make available land resources within 42 National Youth Development Centres across the country to support youth-led agribusiness ventures.
