Lifestyle & Wellness DeskFG Launches 2025–2030 Youth Manifesto to Transform Agriculture
The Federal Government, in partnership with the Leonard and Nkiruka Okorkwo Foundation (LANOF), Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF), and other stakeholders, on Tuesday unveiled the 2025–2030 Revised National Youth Manifesto in Agriculture in Abuja.
The event also featured the launch of the 2025 Nigerian Youth in Agribusiness Call to Action—a framework aimed at placing young people at the centre of agricultural transformation.
Youth at the Core of Agricultural Future
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, described the manifesto as a “youth-owned roadmap for the future of agriculture in Nigeria.”
“This manifesto is proof that young people are not just beneficiaries of policy but architects and drivers of the nation’s agricultural future,” Kyari said in a speech delivered on his behalf by Mrs. Safina Abdullah, Deputy Director of Planning and Policy Coordination.
He added that the unveiling was not a symbolic exercise but a “call to duty,” stressing that the ministry is committed to converting the document into concrete policies, investments, and opportunities.
Eight Key Priorities
The revised manifesto is anchored on eight priorities:
- Agroecology and climate resilience
- Access to land and inputs
- Youth-responsive finance and market access
- Agritech innovation and research
- Capacity development
- Gender and social inclusion
- Policy advocacy and governance
- Mentorship and intergenerational learning
Kyari explained that the manifesto aligns with existing policies such as the National Agriculture Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) 2022–2027 and the revised National Gender Policy in Agriculture 2025–2030.
“The ministry will integrate the Nigerian Youth in Agribusiness Call to Action into the revised National Gender Policy in Agriculture and its Strategic Plan of Action 2025–2030. We are also committed to developing a National Youth in Agribusiness Strategy in line with the African Union’s African Agribusiness Youth Strategy,” he said.
Through initiatives such as mechanisation, access to finance, digital platforms, and extension services, the government intends to empower a new generation of farmers.
Stakeholders Commend Initiative
Nkiruka Okorkwo, Co-Founder of LANOF, described the manifesto as both a policy advocacy tool and an empowerment mechanism for building a resilient food system.
“The strength of this manifesto lies in its co-creation by the youth, and for the youth. These strategies require multi-sectoral collaboration, technical support, and long-term investment,” she said.
HBF Country Director, Sophie von Knebel, hailed the collaborative effort behind the manifesto, expressing optimism about its potential to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Similarly, Blessing Akhile of the National Gender Steering Committee, ActionAid Nigeria, called the unveiling “heartwarming,” and reaffirmed ActionAid’s support for agricultural inclusion.
Call to Young Nigerians
Kyari praised LANOF, HBF, and youth leaders from all six geopolitical zones for their contributions and urged young Nigerians to seize the opportunity.
“Own this process. Build enterprises, not just farms. Innovate solutions, not just demand opportunities,” he charged.
