From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has stated that the active participation of youth in agriculture will fast-track development in the sector, increase production, revitalise agribusiness, and enhance food and nutrition security.
The minister made this known during a courtesy visit by a United Nations (UN) delegation led by the Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, Dr. Felipe Paullier, in Abuja recently.
Kyari said the Federal Government is making deliberate efforts to prioritise youth in the agricultural ecosystem through financial inclusion, economic opportunities, and the creation of an enabling environment.
He highlighted several key government initiatives driving Nigeria’s agricultural transformation, including the operationalisation of the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) and the N1.5 trillion recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), one of the largest agricultural finance commitments in the country’s history.
According to him, “these measures will expand access to affordable finance for youth-led agribusinesses.”
He stressed that through targeted programmes such as mechanisation, access to finance, digital platforms, and extension services, the government will empower a new generation of farmers.
Kyari also highlighted the contributions of young Nigerian innovators, including Samson Ogbole, Femi Adekoya, Atinuke Lebile, and Azeez Salawu, in shaping policy and practice, as well as pioneering projects in soilless farming, drone technology, biofortified crops, and ecosystem coordination.
In his remarks, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, Dr. Felipe Paullier, said the Youth Office was established by the General Assembly to lead engagement and advocacy for the advancement of youth-related issues across United Nations member states.
He added that the office would foster increased access to resources, land, technology, and information, as well as boost youth participation in policy dialogue.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, revealed that the procurement of 2,000 tractors and over 9,000 agricultural implements represents the largest mechanisation drive in Nigeria’s history, aimed at enhancing productivity and creating decent employment opportunities for youth in agribusiness.
He stated that “this is the largest mechanisation initiative in Nigeria’s history.
“This bold intervention will expand access to modern machinery, enhance productivity, and create new opportunities for youth in machinery operation, maintenance, and agribusiness services.
“It is part of our deliberate effort to make agriculture a field of innovation, dignity, and decent work for the next generation.”
In his goodwill message, a young agripreneur, Tobi Jeremiah Olanrewaju, lauded the Federal Government for providing financial intervention through the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), as well as free agricultural inputs and implements to young farmers in Nigeria.