Young agro entrepreneurs unveil business plans to spur economic growth

Engaging youths in agricultural entrepreneurship is crucial in alleviating the increasingly growing youth unemployment and boosting rural transformation. This is prompting most countries and national and international development partners to prioritize agricultural entrepreneurship as a means of economic growth.

With this in mind, IITA has initiated a program targeting young agripreneurs in a bid to develop entrepreneurship in agri-business through imparting skills and to create a conducive environment allowing for youths (both girls and boys) to own profitable agri-businesses, using an ad hoc incubation model. The program aims to create—along with priority agricultural value chains—business opportunities and decent employment for young girls and boys.

Through this initiative, IITA is involved in various projects to promote youth entrepreneurship, such as the “Projet d’entreprenariat des jeunes en agriculture et agro-business” [Project for Youths’ Entrepreneurship in Agriculture and Agri-business] (PEJAB project), which aims to promote the entrepreneurship development among young men and women in agricultural and agri-food value chains, by way of strengthening youths’ skills and supporting the said youths in setting up and managing viable businesses, and making it easier for them to access finance.

Read more