The Federal Government, Leonard and Nkiruka Okorkwo Foundation (LANOF), Heinrich Boll Foundation (HBF) and other stakeholders on Tuesday unveiled the 2025 to 2030 revised National Youth Manifesto in Agriculture for Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2025 Nigerian Youth in Agribusiness Call to Action was also unveiled.

Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, in his remarks at the event, which was held in Abuja, identified the gesture as a youth-owned roadmap for agricultural transformation in the country.

Kyari described the manifesto as a testament that the young populace was not just beneficiaries of policy, but architects and drivers of the country’s future agriculture.

Represented by Mrs Safina Abdullah, Deputy Director, Planning and Policy Coordination in the ministry, he said the unveiling represented a call to duty.

He added that the ministry was committed to ensuring that the call to action was not left on paper, but rather translated into actionable policies, investments, and opportunities.

He also said that the manifesto was a practical operational plan with eight key priorities, including agroecology and climate resilience, access to land and inputs, youth-responsive finance and market access.

The minister listed other priority areas, including research and agritech innovation, capacity development, gender and social inclusion, policy advocacy and governance, and mentorship and intergenerational learning.

According to him, the manifesto is anchored in the national frameworks for 2022 to 2027, such as the National Agriculture Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) and the revised National Gender Policy in Agriculture for 2025 to 2030, among others.

“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 to 2030.

“The ministry is fully committed to working with LANOF and partners to develop a comprehensive National Youth in Agribusiness Strategy in line with the African Union’s African Agribusiness Youth Strategy (AAYS).

“This strategy will institutionalise the Nigeria Youth in Agribusiness Forum (NYAF) and provide a structured mechanism for implementing the manifesto and the call to action nationwide.”

Kyari explained that through targeted programmes on mechanisation, access to finance, digital platforms, capacity development and extension services, a system that empowers young farmers in the country would be created.

“They will take the lead in shaping a more resilient, innovative and inclusive agricultural sector,” he said.

He commended LANOF and HBF for their efforts to develop the revised manifesto, as well as for facilitating a bold and inclusive youth-driven process.

He further commended youth across the six geopolitical zones for their commitment in lending their voices, innovations and inspirations that have shaped the revised manifesto.

“I charge the youth to ensure the manifesto is not left alone but to be spurred by it to galvanise the sector with youthful strength and resilience.

“Rise to the challenge. Own this process. Build enterprises, not just farms. Innovate solutions, not just demand opportunities,” he added.

Nkiruka Okorkwo, Co-Founder of LANOF, described the manifesto as a policy advocacy tool and a youth empowerment mechanism for building a resilient, inclusive and future-focused food system in the country.

Okorkwo said the manifesto and the NYAF presented a bold, youth-led and youth-focused strategy to transform agriculture into an inclusive and dynamic sector that would achieve national food security, employment and sustainability objectives.

She also stated that the manifesto served as a people-driven roadmap for achieving resourcing, recognition, and ensuring the representation of young people in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, which fully aligned with the African Union Youth Agribusiness Call to Action.

According to her, the manifesto outlines practical pathways to unlock opportunities for youth leadership across agricultural value chains.

“The strength of this manifesto lies in its co-creation by the youth, and for the youth. These strategies outlined require multi-sectoral collaboration, technical support, and long-term investment.”

Similarly, Sophie von Knebel, Country Director, HBF commended the effort of LANOF and other stakeholders for coming up with the document and expressed optimism that the manifesto would transform the agricultural sector in Nigeria.

Knebel commended the youth for their resilience and urged them to take ownership of the agricultural space and work in accordance with the manifesto.

In the same vein, Blessing Akhile of the National Gender Steering Committee, ActionAid Nigeria, (AAN) described the unveiling as heartwarming.

Akhile said ActionAid remained committed to promoting inclusion in agriculture and would ensure the manifesto transformed into action in Nigeria. (NAN)