The Agricultural and Entrepreneurial Skills Development Initiative for Women and Youths (AESDIWY) has called for robust exposure of the youth to the great opportunities in agribusiness and agricultural value chains in the country.
Dr Modupe Ogunniyi, AESDIWY National Coordinator, made the call in Ilorin on Wednesday in her presentation at the Farm2Fork dialogue organised by AgroNigeria, a communication outfit.
Ogunniyi asserted that for government to succeed in its agricultural policies, there was a need for deeper engagement with Non-Governmental Organsiations (NGOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) who were closer to the grassroots.
“My NGO, in engagement with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), have discovered that Nigerian youths are ready to take the lead, if provided the right knowledge, tools and enabling environment,” Ogunniyi said.
On food security and job creation, she said some NGOs and CBOs were already helping in that direction through “Master-Trainer Scheme”, a platform where young women and girls are trained based on their passions in agribusiness and agric value chains.
These areas, she said, included fish processing and marketing, catering services and running efficient restaurants among others after which they would be attached to successful entrepreneurs.
