By Abbas Nazil
Nigeria has officially validated the Revised National Youth Manifesto in Agriculture (2025–2030) along with the Nigerian Youth in Agribusiness Call to Action, signaling a renewed commitment to empowering youth-led agricultural transformation in the country.
The validation took place during a high-level bootcamp in Abuja, which gathered policymakers, development partners, and young agripreneurs from across Nigeria.
The event was organized through a collaboration between the Leonard & Nkiruka Okonkwo Foundation (LANOF), the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF), and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), with the goal of positioning youth at the forefront of agricultural innovation, climate resilience, and food systems reform.
Leonard Anayochukwu Okonkwo, Co-Founder of LANOF, described the revised Manifesto as a landmark step toward turning agricultural policy into tangible action led by youth.
He stated that the vision is not just for youth to benefit from policies but to shape them as architects of Nigeria’s agricultural future.
He emphasized that the blueprint represents a strategic shift toward placing youth at the center of food production, agro-innovation, and sustainability.
He further explained that the bootcamp aimed to validate and promote the revised Manifesto, build technical capacity in agroecological practices, and consolidate support for youth engagement through the Nigerian Youth in Agribusiness Call to Action.
Nkiruka Stella Okonkwo, Co-Founder of LANOF, echoed the call for inclusive leadership and institutional support for young people to not only participate in but lead agribusiness initiatives.
She stressed the importance of providing youth, especially women and persons with disabilities, with the tools and opportunities to establish farms and agribusinesses capable of supporting food security, nutrition, and sustainable development.
She explained that the original Manifesto was first launched in 2017 as a response to systemic barriers limiting youth participation in agriculture, including gender inequality, poor access to finance, and climate challenges.
The revised version reflects a wider and more inclusive vision in line with several national and international frameworks.
These include Nigeria’s National Youth Policy, the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP), the Revised National Gender Policy in Agriculture, the African Union Youth Charter, Agenda 2063, and the United Nations Youth Declaration on Food Systems Transformation.
She described the Manifesto as a dynamic advocacy tool, roadmap for strategic investment, and framework for institutional collaboration across government, civil society, private sector, and youth networks.
Findings shared during the bootcamp showcased youth-led innovations from all six geopolitical zones.
In the South East, young agripreneurs are using AI to manage poultry and deploying solar-powered cassava dryers.
The South West has seen the introduction of blockchain-enabled food traceability and modular aquaponics for urban farming.
Flood-prone regions in the South South are adopting floating gardens and mobile apps that connect fish farmers to buyers in real time.
In the North West, mobile veterinary services and livestock insurance systems are supporting pastoralists.
Meanwhile, in the North East, displaced youth are leading agribusiness hubs centered on trauma-informed care, hydroponics, and portable greenhouses.
The North Central zone is witnessing a rise in cooperative climate-smart farming models coordinated through mobile apps.
The collaborative push by LANOF, HBF, and FMAFS, supported by data and innovation from young Nigerians, is intended to turn the Manifesto into a central driver of sustainable agriculture, economic inclusion, and climate resilience in Nigeria over the next five years.
