Those involved in the agro-industry have been urged by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture to partner with, invest, and give youths more influence in order to make the sector more profitable and productive.
The Innovative Youth in Agriculture hosted an agribusiness investors network at the Ecobank Headquarters in Lagos, and this was the main presentation.
In his opening remarks, the Deputy Director, General Partnership for Partnership and Delivery, IITA, Ken Dashiell, stressed the need for all parties to collaborate in order to empower the young in the transformation of Nigeria’s food system.
According to Dashiell, the government and other developmental partners must start implementing the proper policies and programs to draw young people to careers in agriculture.
The former president of Nigeria and an ambassador for IITA, Olusegun Obasanjo, stated in his keynote speech that there must be a coordinated effort to close the finance gap in agribusiness and that financial institutions, investors, and entrepreneurs must work together.
Obasanjo stated that the industry must be appealing to young people and that no genuine businessman would be motivated to apply for a loan with a double-digit interest rate.
Additionally speaking, the Managing Director and Regional Executive of Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Bolaji Lawal, stated that the bank is dedicated to supporting any investment that will foster the expansion of Nigeria’s economy and turn opportunities in Nigeria into businesses and youth empowerment.
The CEO of Farm2Fill Enterprises and a recipient of the I-Youth project, Areo Evelyn, claimed that taking part in the training program at IITA had a significant impact on her entrepreneurial path because she is now able to provide both domestic and foreign markets with a variety of agricultural products.
The executive manager of the I-Youth Project, Aline Mugisho, also stressed the necessity for stakeholders to collaborate in order to dispel the myths surrounding the agricultural sector’s profitability, sustainability, and growth during her presentation on “De-Risking Agro-Industry Investment.”
