By Faridat Salifu
Ondo State government has forged a partnership with the federal government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to expand opportunities for young people in agriculture, with 14,800 youths targeted for training and empowerment over the next three years.
The programme, part of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise–Niger Delta Project, will reach 100 communities across 10 local government areas, focusing on cocoa, cassava, fishery, and poultry production.
Participants, known as incubatees, will gain practical skills, mentorship, and access to business development services to build sustainable agribusinesses.
Olawale Ademola, Ondo State Project Coordinator, said the first phase, which concluded in April 2025, trained 4,182 youths, delivering measurable impacts on local employment and agricultural productivity.
Based on these results, IFAD approved additional financing to extend the programme for three more years.
The project also aims to tackle broader socioeconomic challenges. While it faces obstacles such as insecurity, inflation, and low literacy, coordinators have put measures in place to ensure continuity and effectiveness.
Bodunwa Isaiah, state Agribusiness Promotion Officer, noted that the initiative is designed to enhance food sufficiency, generate employment for young people, and boost revenue, reinforcing agriculture as a viable career pathway and encouraging youth-led innovation in rural economies.
Observers say the initiative represents a strategic push to modernize youth agriculture in the Niger Delta, combining skills training, mentorship, and market support to build a new generation of resilient farmers and agripreneurs.
