The Enugu State Government has unveiled a youth-led agroecology development initiative, with 75 young people drawn from various agricultural organisations selected to spearhead efforts to strengthen sustainable agriculture across the state.
The initiative was announced at a one-day capacity-building workshop organised by the state government in partnership with the South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO) and ActionAid Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, SSDO’s Head of Programme, Udochukwu Egwim, said the programme was designed to build strong networks among agricultural stakeholders, improve coordination, and enhance productivity in the sector.
Egwim noted that the intervention became necessary after it was discovered that many organisations working on agriculture in Enugu State were operating in isolation, limiting the overall impact of their programmes.
According to him, bringing youths and agricultural groups together would foster collaboration, strengthen networks, and enable participants to better access and utilise available agricultural resources within the state.
“We are partnering with ActionAid Nigeria and the Enugu State Government to bring together agroecology groups, civil society organisations, development partners, and relevant government agencies and ministries,” Egwim said.
“The reality is that while there are numerous agricultural programmes and organisations in the state, many of them are working in silos. There is no coordinated platform or coalition, and this has resulted in young people being unaware of opportunities that already exist,” he added.
Egwim cited an example of an international organisation’s programme last year aimed at empowering about 600 young fish farmers, noting that despite having more than enough interested youths, the state struggled to meet the target due to the absence of a comprehensive database and functional networks.
He expressed optimism that the new initiative would address these gaps by promoting collaboration, improving information sharing, and positioning young people as key drivers of agroecology and sustainable agricultural development in Enugu State.
