From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has said scaling up youth agripreneurship is inevitable for transforming Nigeria’s food systems, stressing that innovation, technology, funding support and entrepreneurship are critical to achieving food security and economic growth.
Kyari spoke in Abuja at a high-level event on Scaling up Youth Agripreneurship in Nigeria for Food Systems Transformation under the Federal Government/Niger Delta Development Commission/International Fund for Agricultural Development Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises–Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project.
He said young agripreneurs are increasingly driving innovation across the agricultural value chain, including precision agriculture, artificial intelligence-powered farm tools, soilless farming, digital marketplaces, agro-processing, and financial technology platforms.
“Young agripreneurs, fuelled by ingenuity and determination, are leading innovation and are ready to transform agrifood systems, create dignified livelihoods and drive inclusive economic growth in our country,” Kyari said.
The minister noted that through strategic investments and partnerships with civil society, the private sector and development partners, government has demonstrated proof of concept by piloting youth-led agripreneurship models, expanding agro-processing and agribusiness incubation, and leveraging digital tools to connect farmers to markets and finance.
He outlined measures to scale up youth agripreneurship nationwide, including improved access to land and productive resources, inclusive financing and credit guarantees, accelerated business development and mentorship support, and stronger market systems driven by digital platforms.
Kyari also called for strengthened support pillars such as youth-focused land access and tenure assistance, innovative blended financing mechanisms, expanded business development services, climate adaptation and risk management frameworks, and robust monitoring and evaluation systems.
He said the LIFE-ND project offers strong evidence of what is achievable, urging stakeholders across government, financial institutions, development partners, the private sector, academia and farmers’ organisations to align efforts and build collaborative ecosystems that reward innovation.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s goal of repositioning agriculture as a viable, wealth-creating and competitive sector capable of reducing unemployment and deepening value addition.
He described LIFE-ND as a unique incubation model that supports young agripreneurs through skills development, structured mentorship, access to digital tools, market linkages and value chain integration.
Also speaking, the National Project Coordinator of LIFE-ND, Dr Abiodun Sanni, said the project has shown that with the right model, Nigeria can turn its youthful population from job seekers into agripreneurial wealth creators.
Sanni disclosed that the project has generated over 23,700 direct jobs in rural communities and increased household incomes by an average of 50 per cent among beneficiaries, contributing to poverty reduction and community resilience.
