Investing in youth agriculture is key to Africa’s future, IITA DG says, as I-Youth project creates thousands of agribusinesses and jobs

The Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dr Simeon Ehui, has called for sustained investing in youth agriculture as a critical pathway to securing Africa’s future.

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Ehui made the call at the closeout ceremony of Phase One of the Innovative Youth in Agriculture project, widely known as I-Youth, which was launched in 2020 to empower young people across Nigeria.

The project targets youths aged 15 to 35, equipping them with technical, entrepreneurial and business skills to either establish agribusinesses or secure dignified employment within the agrifood system.

Implemented in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Jigawa and Adamawa states, the initiative focused on transforming young people from job seekers into confident job creators.

Speaking at the event, Ehui, who also serves as CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, said the success of I-Youth clearly demonstrates the value of investing in youth agriculture.

According to him, when young people are provided with the right skills, mentorship and access to markets, they generate employment and stimulate economic growth within their communities.

He attributed the achievements of the programme to strong collaboration among partners, including the Mastercard Foundation, state governments, private sector stakeholders, training institutions and community leaders.

Ehui disclosed that the partnership led to the establishment of 36,053 youth led agribusinesses, alongside the creation of agribusiness parks, innovation hubs and cooperative clusters across participating states.

The closeout ceremony further revealed that the I-Youth partnership between IITA and the Mastercard Foundation created more than 90,000 employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for Nigerian youths, women and persons with disabilities.

Also speaking, the Country Director of the Mastercard Foundation in Nigeria, Ms Rosy Fynn, said the project made a significant contribution to the Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy.

She noted that the results of the initiative represent tangible transformation in the lives of young people and the strengthening of local communities.

Fynn also praised the Start Them Early Programme, which enabled secondary school students and their families to establish over 5,900 homegrown agribusiness ventures.

Beneficiaries of the programme shared personal accounts of impact at the event.

A Lagos based participant, Olumide Garuba, said I-Youth helped him formalise his agribusiness and employ other young people, while Mariam Abass from Kaduna State said the initiative empowered her to overcome gender barriers, rebuild her poultry business and support women in her community.

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Panel discussions held during the ceremony stressed the need for continued investing in youth agriculture, with emphasis on improved access to finance, stronger market linkages and sustained post training support, particularly for women and persons with disabilities.