Dr. Philips Nto, Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre (ABIC) at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, has called on Nigerian youths to take advantage of opportunities in agriculture, noting that over N14 trillion is lost annually due to post-harvest losses.
During a courtesy visit by the Abia State Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Dr. Nto emphasized that the future wealth creators in Nigeria would be young entrepreneurs who leverage the agricultural value chain—from processing and storage to transportation and factory operations.
He also urged youths to participate in grassroots politics to influence policies that shape the agricultural sector, pointing out the need for youth voices in decision-making.
While commending the Federal Government’s ABIC initiative and the African Development Bank’s special agro-industrial processing zones, Dr. Nto stressed the importance of placing these projects in locations that align with specific crop strengths to avoid past inefficiencies, such as unused silos.
In response, NYCN State Chairman, Comrade Smith Silvernus, introduced the “Abia Youths Back to Farm” campaign and expressed interest in partnering with ABIC. He acknowledged Dr. Nto’s valuable guidance and pledged to return with concrete proposals for collaboration.
