ECOWAS Trains Thousands of Youths in Organic Agriculture to Combat Food Insecurity and Unemployment in West Africa

By Abbas Nazil

In a strategic move to address the rising challenges of climate change, food insecurity, and youth unemployment in West Africa, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has approved multimillion-dollar grants to support youth training in ecological organic agriculture (EOA).

The program, unveiled during an inception workshop held in Lagos, aims to empower young men and women by equipping them with sustainable agricultural skills that foster environmentally friendly practices, economic growth, and social inclusivity.

Dr. Gle Koffi Emmanuel, Chairman of the Regional Steering Committee on EOA from the ECOWAS Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, declared the training initiative as a critical step towards harnessing the vast potential of the agro-sylvo-pastoral and halieutic (ASPH) sectors.

With over 60% of the West African population under 30 and more than one-third aged between 15 and 34, the youth demographic presents both a significant challenge and an immense opportunity for regional development.

However, unemployment among young people remains alarmingly high, affecting over 75% of new entrants into the labor market.

The ECOWAS official emphasized the need to reform current agricultural systems to make the ASPH sector more attractive to young people, not only in terms of income but also status and resilience.

As part of this strategic shift, ECOWAS has initiated two priority investment programs aimed at promoting youth employability.

These include the development of local milk value chains and broader investments in agro-sylvo-pastoral and fisheries sectors to boost job opportunities for young people.

A total of US\$2,238,000 has been allocated to train 3,850 youths in the ASPH sectors through collaborative efforts coordinated by Songhai Centre, CORAF, and the West African Secretariat of Ecological Organic Agriculture (WASEOA). Out of this, WASEOA received a subgrant of \$594,000 to train at least 1,270 youths aged 18–35, ensuring that 40% of the beneficiaries are women.

The program views ecological organic agriculture not merely as a farming method but as a comprehensive movement that respects nature, integrates local knowledge, and prioritizes human and environmental well-being.

Jude Obi, President of the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN), welcomed the initiative, highlighting that NOAN serves as the umbrella body for stakeholders across Nigeria’s organic agriculture value chain.

He noted that following recognition by the African Union Commission and other partners, NOAN was designated as WASEOA and later signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ECOWAS to implement the Youth Employability in Organic Agriculture and Agroecology Value Chains project across six countries: Nigeria, Republic of Benin, Togo, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal.

Obi reiterated ECOWAS’s commitment to policies that enhance youth integration into the job market, especially in the ASPH and agri-food sectors.

These include creating enabling environments for young entrepreneurs, supporting economic empowerment through agricultural value chains, and effectively managing youth-oriented initiatives.

The long-term impacts are expected to include the employment of at least 25% of young job seekers annually in the ASPH and food chain, significant reductions in youth unemployment and underemployment, and a sharp decrease in the number of irregular youth migrants.