Agriculture: Foundation, FG move to provide opportunities for youths
- Leventis Foundation Nigeria and NYSC unveiled plans to strengthen youth-led agribusinesses ahead of the 2025 Agricultural Youth Summit in Abuja
- Dr Hope Usieta said the summit aimed to equip young agripreneurs with skills, funding, and resilience for sustainable agribusiness growth
- NYSC’s Kehinde Aremu reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to youth empowerment and food security through strategic partnerships in agriculture
FCT, Abuja - As concerns about food production and job creation grow, the Leventis Foundation Nigeria in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has unveiled plans to boost youth-led agribusinesses across the country.
The announcement was made at a press briefing ahead of the 2025 Agricultural Youth Summit, scheduled for Thursday, 6 November 2025, at Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.
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Summit to address challenges in youth agribusiness
Speaking at the briefing, Dr Hope Usieta, Executive Director of Leventis Foundation Nigeria, said the summit’s theme: “Building Youth and Agripreneurs’ Resilience for Agribusiness through Targeted Upskilling and Innovative Agri-Finance”, was chosen to tackle the major challenges faced by young entrepreneurs in agriculture.
“This year’s theme is deliberate. Many young agripreneurs face serious barriers to establishing viable agribusinesses. The summit reflects our collective resolve to strengthen youth participation, innovation, and resilience in Nigeria’s agricultural sector," Usieta explained.
He noted that the event will bring together young agripreneurs, policymakers, financiers, development partners, and agricultural experts from across the country.
Empowering youth through training and innovation
Usieta emphasised that the Leventis Foundation Nigeria remains committed to training, empowering, and mentoring young Nigerians to become successful agripreneurs.
“Through this summit, we aim to equip participants with practical skills, business insights, and access to innovative agri-finance tools that can help them start or scale their agribusinesses,” he said.
He further revealed that the Foundation, in partnership with NYSC, would award up to ₦2 million in grants to outstanding young agribusiness owners who present viable business ideas during the summit.
“This initiative is not merely symbolic,” Usieta added. “It is a deliberate investment in youth-led agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship.”
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Workshops and panels to build resilience
According to Usieta, the summit will feature expert-led workshops, panel discussions, and stakeholder presentations focusing on practical solutions to challenges in agribusiness.
“We will host a panel session on ‘Mainstreaming Agricultural Insurance in Agribusiness’ because it is vital that young entrepreneurs learn to mitigate risks and build resilience in the face of market and climate-related shocks,” he stated.
He added that participants would also receive training on business plan writing, pitching, and value addition through processing agricultural produce into finished products.
“Our shared vision is simple: to make agribusiness a viable, innovative, and rewarding career path for Nigeria’s young people,” he said. “With the right training, technology, and mindset, agriculture can become their gateway to prosperity and impact.”
NYSC pledges continued collaboration
In his remarks, Mr Kehinde Aremu, Director of Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) at NYSC, reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to promoting youth engagement in agriculture.
“For us in NYSC, empowering young people to achieve food security is a national priority,” Aremu said. “We are grateful for our partnership with the Leventis Foundation, as it helps us strengthen youth participation in agribusiness.”
He noted that many corps members have become successful entrepreneurs through NYSC’s training initiatives, adding that the upcoming summit would serve as another platform to expand youth-led agricultural innovation.
Source: Legit.ng
