By Abdullahi Lukman
Dr. Simeon Ehui, Director General of IITA-CGIAR, has underscored the essential role of youth in shaping the future of agriculture and ensuring global food security.
Speaking recently at the International Youth Day event held in Ibadan and organized by IITA’s Youth in Agribusiness Unit (IYA), he emphasized that young people are pivotal in driving the adoption of innovative and sustainable agricultural practices that increase productivity while protecting the environment.
Represented by Deputy Director-General, Partnerships for Delivery, Dr. Tahirou Abdoulaye, Dr. Ehui highlighted that youth engagement is not only vital for agricultural growth but also critical to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including no poverty, zero hunger, decent work and economic growth, and climate action.
The event, themed “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,” showcased IITA’s decade-long commitment to empowering young Africans through the IYA program.
Launched over ten years ago, the initiative aims to recognize and amplify the contributions of youth to sustainable agriculture and food security across the continent.
“IITA is a research and development institute, and we realized early that supporting young people to scale our technologies and share such innovations globally positions them to contribute significantly to sustainable development,” Dr. Ehui said.
He emphasized that youth involvement helps bridge the gap between research and practical application on the ground, accelerating the adoption of climate-smart and productivity-enhancing farming techniques.
Dr. Ehui called for increased efforts to make agriculture more attractive and profitable to young Africans, encouraging them to see farming not just as a livelihood but as a viable and sustainable business opportunity.
This, he said, would not only ensure the future of food production but also create decent jobs and foster economic growth in rural communities.
The IYA movement continues to grow, providing training, mentorship, and access to innovative technologies for young agripreneurs, enabling them to become change agents in their communities.
Through initiatives like these, IITA aims to inspire a new generation of agricultural leaders committed to sustainability, resilience, and food security across Africa.
In closing, Dr. Abdoulaye reiterated the importance of youth-led agricultural innovation in meeting the continent’s food challenges and encouraged continued collaboration between governments, the private sector, and development organizations to support youth engagement in agribusiness.
