Federal Govt Woos Heifer International To Drive Youth Agritech, Food Security

The federal government has called for stronger collaboration with Heifer International and other development partners to accelerate youth-led agricultural innovation and strengthen Nigeria’s food security.

The minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, made the call at the grand finale of the fifth edition of the Agriculture, Youth and Technology (AYuTe) Challenge in Abuja.

Abdullahi said the government alone could not transform the agricultural sector, stressing that partnerships with organisations such as Heifer International were critical to nurturing young, innovative entrepreneurs and scaling technology-driven farming solutions.

He added that the federal government was implementing policies to remove barriers preventing young Nigerians from venturing into agriculture.

According to him, the government is facilitating access to land, affordable credit, and modern farming inputs while building partnerships to ensure that innovations developed through competitions such as the AYuTe Challenge are deployed on farms across the country.

“We are actively working on policies that lower the barriers to entry for young people in agriculture. We are facilitating access to land, credit and modern inputs.

“We are building partnerships to ensure that innovation hubs and competitions like the AYuTe Challenge find direct, practical applications on farms across Nigeria,” he stated. The minister of Agriculture described food security as a national priority under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying Nigeria must move beyond subsistence farming to technology-driven commercial agriculture.

“As a nation, we are at a critical junction where traditional farming methods alone can no longer meet the demands of our rapidly growing population.

“We must transition from subsistence farming to technology-driven, high-yield commercial agriculture,” Abdullahi said.

He noted that Nigeria’s greatest strength lies in its youthful population and their technological ingenuity, stressing that innovations such as precision agriculture, drone technology, artificial intelligence-driven crop monitoring and digital supply chain platforms would significantly improve productivity and reduce post-harvest losses.

He revealed that more than 2,000 innovations were submitted for this year’s AYuTe Challenge, describing the top five finalists as the new face of Nigerian agriculture.

“You are rewriting the narrative of farming. You are proving that agriculture is no longer a backbreaking toil reserved for the aged in rural areas, but a sophisticated, technology-driven frontier of wealth creation,” he told the finalists.

He added that while the competition’s grant would support the winners financially, the mentorship and exposure offered through the programme would have a more lasting impact on their businesses.

Also speaking, the Country Director of Heifer International Nigeria, Dr Lekan Tobe, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to attracting more young Nigerians into agriculture through technology and innovation.

According to him, the AYuTe Challenge was established to make agriculture attractive to young people by promoting digital solutions rather than traditional farming methods.

“The future of agriculture depends on our young people. No graduate wants to farm with hoes and cutlasses in this era of artificial intelligence and digital innovation,” Tobe said.

He said the competition had produced successful agribusinesses, including Ninsey Agro, Essential Africa, Scratops and Superfarm Market, whose founders had expanded their businesses beyond Nigeria.

“We have seen many CEOs of thriving agri-enterprises emerge from AYuTe. Their success is proof that the programme is impactful and capable of doing even more with greater support,” he added.

Tobe disclosed that winners of this year’s competition would receive prizes worth $43,000, with the overall winner taking home $20,000, the first runner-up $15,000, and the second runner-up $8,000.

He explained that beneficiaries would also receive post-competition mentorship, coaching, business development support and access to investors to help commercialize their innovations.

“We monitor their progress, connect them with mentors and investors, and ensure they continue to grow long after the competition has ended.

“Many of them are technically gifted but require entrepreneurial support to commercialize their innovations. We want them to build sustainable businesses that create jobs and mentor others,” Tobe said.

He urged the Federal Government to sustain youth-friendly agricultural policies, improve access to affordable financing and strengthen collaboration with the private sector and development partners to boost youth participation in agriculture.

“There is a conscious effort to actualize these policies and bring them to life. Access to finance and land remains fundamental for anyone who wants to venture into agriculture, and deliberate efforts must continue to make these opportunities available to young people,” he added.