The Nigerian Government has officially launched the National Youth Manifesto in Agriculture for the period 2025–2030.
The revised manifesto aims to strengthen youth participation and leadership in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The launch event, held in Abuja, was led by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, who was represented by Hajia Safina Abdullahi, the Deputy Director at the Planning and Policy Department of FMAFS.
Kyari said: “Today is more than the launch of a document; it is the unveiling of a youth-owned roadmap for agricultural transformation in Nigeria. Young Nigerians are not just beneficiaries of the policy but architects and drivers of our agricultural future.”
The Minister assured Nigerians that the Ministry would integrate the call to action into the revised National Gender Policy in Agriculture as part of the 2025–2030 strategic plan of action.
He also revealed plans to present the manifesto to the National Council on Agriculture for adoption.
The foundation’s Co-Founder Leonard Okonkwo described the manifesto as a “people-driven roadmap” that aligned with the African Union’s Youth Agribusiness strategy, while emphasising the need for multi-sectoral collaboration, technical support, and sustained investment to achieve its goals.
Co-Founder of LANOF, Nkiruka Okonkwo, commended the endorsement by the Ministry of Agriculture, noting that it would serve as a platform to expand youth ownership and influence in the agricultural space until 2030.
Blessing Akhile, representing ActionAid Nigeria’s Gender Steering Committee, described the launch as “heartwarming,” pledging the organisation’s commitment to translating the document into meaningful action nationwide.
A goodwill message from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), delivered by Ms. Nana Amoah, underscored the manifesto’s alignment with Africa’s Agenda 2063, the Kampala Declaration on Resilient Agrifood Systems, and AGRA’s youth strategy.
A youth farmer, Raymond Temitope, said that the launch marked a “step in the right direction,” adding: “With this document, our expectations as youth in agriculture are beginning to take shape.”