As part of efforts to create profitable partnerships and support beneficiaries of the YEASA project in Nigeria, the YEASA project consortium, Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), IITA, and AfricaRice, organized a workshop for national and local stakeholders on the roadmap for public and private youth investment in the agricultural sector. YEASA project beneficiaries, government institutions, NGOs, and regulatory institutions attended the meeting.
The workshop showcased agribusiness start-ups that emerged from project implementation to facilitate linkages with government and private sector opportunities for youth. The event took place on 21 July 2022, at the IITA headquarters, Ibadan, with Dr Olabode Adetoyi, Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, in attendance.
The Commissioner said he participated in the program because he understands the importance of youth to the Nigerian economy while commending the project’s implementing partners.
“We can see the excellent results and testimonies of the beneficiaries. More than 600 youth have been trained and empowered in Oyo and Ekiti states, and Benin Republic. I cannot wait for the YEASA program to become national because of the unique method of training and empowering youth. It seems like it will be a big challenge for us as a government to adopt this promising program.
The YEASA project manager, Prof Amos Onasanya, while highlighting the project activities, explained that during the COVID -19 pandemic, the implementing partners explored the use of ICT platforms to train the project beneficiaries, which IFAD commended.
Prof Onasanya said that in the last three years of implementation, two thousand youth were employed directly and indirectly through the project.
“The project has done a good job of teaching technical, entrepreneurial, and life skills to the beneficiaries and giving them a grant to start their agribusiness. However, now we want these micro-enterprises to scale up by taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the stakeholders participating in this workshop,” he said.
During the workshop, the aspiring youth agribusiness owners were admonished to have a positive attitude and explore available funding opportunities.
“We know that the business environment is tough. That is why we have a group for young entrepreneurs in the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Youth Entrepreneurs. We mentor entrepreneurs, provide them with finance, and most importantly, access to the institutional market. We are ready to work with YEASA,” said Chief Kola Akosile, National Vice President, NACCIMA.
Stakeholders appreciated the opportunity to hear the success stories of the agripreneurs and see their products. “This event is a good opportunity to get to know the YEASA project better. I am impressed with the support YEASA gave to agripreneurs and the businesses that have emerged. I will do everything in my power to help these businesses get their NAFDAC certification,” he added.
The Youth Employment in Agribusiness and Sustainable Agriculture (YEASA) project aims to improve the livelihoods of rural youth through agriculture and agricultural enterprises by providing youth with improved technical, business, entrepreneurial, financial, and life skills.
Contributed by: Tomiwa Adesanya