IFAD applauds IITA’s youth agripreneur programme

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has applauded the activities of the Youth Agripreneurs (IYA) programme of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). This is contained in a statement signed by IITA’s Communication Officer, Mr Godwin Atser, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday.

It said that the IFAD President, Dr Kanayo Nwanze, hoped that the programme would strengthen the hope of a new generation of African agricultural entrepreneurs who would create wealth and jobs for the citizens. It noted that the programme was developed less than two years ago after Nwanze visited IITA and planted a tree to mark the rejuvenation of the institute.

The statement said that IITA’s Director-General, Dr Nteranya Sanginga, mobilised youths and gave them mentorship, teaching and training. It said the act created a passion in the youths to adopt agriculture as a business. According to the statement, in less than two years, the programme has recorded achievements, including production and marketing of over 30 tonnes of certified maize and soybean seeds.

The statement said that the programme had also produced over 280 tonnes of cassava roots as well as over 3, 200 bundles of cassava stems and over 1, 000 suckers of plantain.

It said that IYA had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State to train 250 young people in agribusiness. The statement said IYA had received funding support from IFAD, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) as well as IITA.