The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched a major agribusiness and organic farming training programme in Nigeria, designed to equip young entrepreneurs with the skills to turn agriculture into a profitable venture, reduce unemployment, and expand regional export opportunities.
The initiative, under the ECOWAS Youth Employability Programme (YEP), was inaugurated on Friday at the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Mabushi, Abuja.
It is being coordinated in Nigeria by the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN) with support from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
Professor Jude Obi, President of NOAN, described the programme as a defining moment in Nigeria’s effort to reposition agriculture as a business rather than a subsistence activity. He noted that the training is structured to provide both technical knowledge and access to markets, cooperative schemes, and digital platforms.
“This programme is about equipping young people with practical, market-driven skills in agribusiness, agroecology, and organic value chain development. It will transform them from job seekers into job creators, capable of driving innovation, building cooperatives, and transferring knowledge across communities,” Obi said.
Over 14,000 applications were received, with 300 participants selected nationwide. Data shows that 62% are aged 26–35 years, while 44% are university graduates, many unemployed but eager to pursue agriculture as a career. About 67% already have prior agricultural training or experience.
The trainees’ chosen areas of focus highlight strong business prospects: 36.7% opted for biological input production (biofertilizers, biopesticides, and composts), 32.7% for organic crop diversification (with sesame and ginger as key export crops), and 30.6% for vegetative propagation of high-value crops.
Obi emphasized that the participants are motivated not only by personal income but also by community impact, with many expressing interest in mentoring peers, building cooperatives, and spreading ecological farming practices.
For ECOWAS, the programme aligns with its broader strategy to cut youth unemployment and underemployment by 75% by 2030 while modernising agriculture.
Mr. Gle Koffi Emmanuel, representing the ECOWAS Commission’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, stressed that agriculture must become attractive and profitable for young people. “With a regional population of 450 million, more than 60% under the age of 30, youth are West Africa’s greatest asset. By 2030, we expect that one in every four young people entering the job market will find employment in agriculture and agri-food value chains,” he said.
The ECOWAS Commission has committed over US$2.2 million between 2024 and 2025 to fund training centres across the region, including Nigeria. Two flagship programmes are also being rolled out: the Youth Employability Programme in agriculture and fisheries, and the Local Milk Value Chain Programme.
Deputy Director Idowu Stephen Akintunde, representing the Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, commended the initiative as a model for repositioning agriculture as a business. He affirmed the ministry’s commitment to enabling policies, extension services, and linkages to finance and markets.
“Agriculture is no longer to be viewed as a last resort for employment. Instead, it is a strategic business sector that holds immense opportunities for job creation, wealth creation, and national development,” he said.
By focusing on organic farming, export-oriented crops, and digital skills, the programme is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s role in regional and global markets. With sesame and ginger among the fastest-growing non-oil exports, the initiative could create a new generation of agripreneurs tapping into billion-dollar opportunities.
The wider impact is expected to include reducing rural poverty, curbing irregular migration, and tackling youth restiveness. By linking trainees to cooperatives and value chains, ECOWAS and its partners aim to build sustainable enterprises that endure beyond the training.
With agriculture increasingly seen as a pathway to prosperity, the success of this programme could set the pace for transforming one of West Africa’s oldest occupations into one of its most promising business frontiers.
Source:Africa Publicity
