The Federal Government has intensified efforts to tackle youth unemployment and strengthen food security through a renewed partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization aimed at expanding opportunities for young Nigerians in agriculture and agribusiness.
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Maryam Keshinro, disclosed this during a meeting with a delegation from FAO Nigeria in Abuja.
Keshinro, who spoke on behalf of the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said Nigeria’s youthful population remains a major asset that can drive national development when properly equipped with practical and market-driven skills.
She noted that despite the country’s enormous agricultural potential and vast arable land, many young Nigerians are yet to fully benefit from opportunities within the sector due to inadequate technical capacity and limited access to structured empowerment programmes.
The permanent secretary stressed that the growing gap between labour market demands and available skills, especially in agriculture, has made stronger collaboration with development partners increasingly important.
She commended the FAO for its continued support towards agricultural development in Nigeria, adding that the organisation’s global expertise would play a significant role in empowering youths and increasing participation across the agricultural value chain.
“There is a clear imbalance between skill supply and labour demand, particularly in agriculture. This underscores the need for stronger collaboration, capacity building, and practical interventions to equip our youths with relevant, market-driven skills,” Keshinro stated.
She further emphasised the need for sustained investments in youth-focused agricultural programmes capable of creating jobs, boosting productivity and improving livelihoods.
In her remarks, the Programme Officer of FAO Nigeria, Tofiq Braimah, said the collaboration is designed to position young people as active contributors to national growth through increased participation in agriculture.
Braimah described youths as the backbone of every nation and stressed that investing in their participation in agriculture is critical to achieving sustainable food systems, economic growth and long-term employment generation.
According to her, the partnership with the Ministry of Youth Development is expected to strengthen ongoing efforts aimed at providing young Nigerians with the skills, resources and opportunities needed to thrive in agriculture and agribusiness.
