Land Trust Fund Program Manager @International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

🌱 FG PARTNERS IITA TO LAUNCH LAND TRUST FUND FOR YOUTH AGRIBUSINESS IN NIGERIA 🇳🇬

The Federal Government of Nigeria has entered into a strategic partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to launch a Land Trust Fund for Youth Agribusiness, a major initiative aimed at boosting youth participation in agriculture and strengthening food security.

The announcement was made in Abuja during the official launch, where the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described the initiative as a transformative step toward repositioning agriculture as a youth-driven and innovation-led sector.

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Key Highlights of the Initiative

• Transformation of 42 Youth Development Centres into fully functional agribusiness hubs
• Training and empowerment of 6 million Nigerian youths within 3 years
• Support for the creation and formalization of 500,000 youth-led agribusiness enterprises
• Improved access to land, finance, technology, mechanization, and markets

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Addressing Youth Barriers in Agriculture

The Minister emphasized that while Nigeria has a large youth population, access to land remains one of the biggest barriers preventing young people from engaging in agriculture.

He noted that agriculture today goes beyond farming, describing it as a modern sector driven by technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and value chain development.

According to him, the initiative will help young Nigerians become:

• Agribusiness owners
• Processors and exporters
• Service providers and innovators
• Leaders across agricultural value chains

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Economic Perspective

The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, highlighted that better land management and youth participation could significantly boost Nigeria’s agricultural output and exports.

He referenced countries like the Netherlands, which achieve high agricultural productivity despite limited land, stressing that Nigeria has even greater potential if properly harnessed.

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Role of IITA

The Director-General of IITA, Simeon Ehui, explained that the Agribusiness Land Trust Fund will help address one of the biggest challenges facing young farmers—access to productive land—by linking available land resources to structured youth agribusiness programmes.

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Conclusion

This initiative marks a major step toward repositioning agriculture as a viable, modern, and profitable career path for Nigerian youth, while strengthening national food systems and rural development.