By Abbas Nazil
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has partnered with the West African Secretariat of Ecological Organic Agriculture (WASEOA) to disburse a $594,000 grant in support of 1,270 young agripreneurs across six West African countries.
This initiative, formalized through a recently signed agreement with the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN)—the secretariat of WASEOA and implementing body—aims to empower youths aged 18 to 35 with practical knowledge and skills in organic agriculture and agroecology.
The project is scheduled to run from April 2025 to March 2026.
The signing ceremony took place during a workshop in Lagos for representatives of the approved training centres from Nigeria, Republic of Benin, Togo, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal.
The goal of the initiative is to address rising unemployment and underemployment among the region’s youth population, which is heavily concentrated in the 20–24 age bracket, representing up to 60 percent of the demographic.
Jude Obi, President of NOAN, emphasized the urgency of tackling youth unemployment and the importance of promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
He described the initiative as a strategic response to an increasing concern shared by ECOWAS and its partners. According to him, organic agriculture not only supports food production but also safeguards environmental and human health.
The training program also aims to drive youth participation in Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Heuristics (ASPH)—a systems-based approach that integrates crop farming, forestry, and livestock production.
In Nigeria, 270 participants are to be selected from various states and trained in three zones: Zaria in the north, Anambra in the southeast, and Oyo in the southwest.
The training modules are to be tailored to each region’s agricultural strengths—such as sesame and ginger cultivation in the north—and will prioritize inclusivity with 40 percent female participation.
Obi highlighted that the modular structure is designed to attract youths with diverse agricultural interests relevant to their locality, improving the program’s effectiveness and sustainability.
Koffi Gle, Chairman of the Regional Steering Committee from ECOWAS’s Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, reiterated that the initiative aligns with the regional strategy for youth employment in agriculture.
He emphasized that ECOWAS is committed to ensuring food security, regional integration, and inclusive development by providing meaningful employment opportunities for young people through agriculture.
Gle noted the pressing need to bridge existing gaps in agriculture training, climate education, and food production, especially in light of increasing youth migration in search of better livelihoods abroad.
Coordinators from the first phase of the program shared inspiring outcomes, including the formation of youth cooperatives and business startups.
Emeka Iloghalu, who leads the Fisheries & Aquaculture Value Chain Partnership Centre in Anambra State, shared that many participants from previous cohorts have already launched their own fish ponds.
Similar success stories from Liberia and Togo demonstrated the program’s tangible benefits, encouraging new coordinators to remain committed to achieving maximum impact in their respective countries.
