IITA Empowers 70 Oyo State Youth Agripreneurs with Vital Farming Inputs

In a bold step toward advancing youth participation in agriculture, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has distributed vital agricultural inputs and equipment to 70 young farmers in Oyo State under its Youth in Agribusiness Project. The initiative, held at IITA’s headquarters in Ibadan, reinforces the institute’s long-term commitment to promoting agribusiness start-ups and expansion across Nigeria.

The intervention included a wide array of productivity-boosting tools and materials such as solar-powered irrigation systems, improved cassava stems, rotary slashers, defeathering machines, fertilizers, high-yield maize seeds, gari fryers, vegetable seeds, fish and poultry feed, seedling trays, coco peat, generators, knapsack sprayers, and gari pressers.

This effort follows similar successful distributions in Abuja, Kano, and Ogun States, highlighting IITA’s strategic approach to building a national network of empowered youth agripreneurs.

Speaking at the event, the Head of IITA’s Genetic Resources Center, representing the Senior Management Team, congratulated the beneficiaries and emphasized the broader goal of job creation and economic growth through agribusiness. “The impact of these inputs will be felt across multiple agricultural value chains, including cassava production, aquaculture, poultry, and horticulture,” he noted.

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Also addressing the beneficiaries, a representative of the IITA Youth Agripreneurs’ CEO emphasized the importance of mentorship, businessó development, and peer networking. She urged the young farmers to maximize the opportunities available through the program, underscoring agribusiness as a powerful vehicle for wealth creation and national food security.

Project Coordinator Adebayo Awotodunbo expressed appreciation to the Kingdom of the Netherlands for its funding support. He also issued a stern reminder to the recipients about responsible usage. “These tools are not handouts. They are investments in your productivity,” he stated, warning that beneficiaries found misusing or selling the items would be disqualified from the program. A dedicated monitoring team, he said, will conduct follow-ups to ensure compliance and proper utilization.

Ayomikun Oyesiji, one of the beneficiaries, shared her gratitude, describing the support as transformative. “This initiative has given me the tools and knowledge to grow my agribusiness. The training was eye-opening and deeply practical,” she said.

Through this initiative, IITA continues to redefine agriculture for Nigerian youth — transforming it from a survival practice into a competitive, scalable, and sustainable business. The organization remains committed to nurturing a new generation of agribusiness leaders poised to revolutionize food systems across Africa.