With the Nigerian population expected to reach 230 million by 2025, food security is of considerable importance. Today, the demand for food appears to be outstripping supply as a result of reduced productivity combined with post-harvest waste. To reverse this trend, the country needs innovative solutions to modernize its farming methods. Beyond the farm gate and harvest, we must now work towards food transformation and preservation. The key players in this agriculture space are referred to as agripreneurs.
With a median age of 18 years and about 70% of the population under 30 according to the National Population Commission, it is unfortunate that the age of the average Nigerian farmer is 50 years. To feed the present generation and so secure the future, Nestle Golden Morn is stepping up efforts to plug that gap. And it is doing this by attracting and building active youth participation in the agricultural sector.
One way GOLDEN MORN is achieving on this goal is by creating an Agripreneurship Webinar Series in collaboration with the Enterprise Development Center of the Pan Atlantic University to promote sustainable food systems by increasing youth participation in the sector. The program provides support for young entrepreneurs already engaged in or set to start up businesses in the agricultural sector through trainings, funding, mentoring and networking opportunities. Over 200 young agripreneurs have benefited in the 4 series of the webinar so far.
In his comments at the event where grants (valued at N500,000 each) were presented to nine beneficiaries from the third and fourth sessions of the GOLDEN MORN Agripreneurship Webinar series, the MD/CEO Nestlé Nigeria PLC, Wassim Elhusseini expressed his excitement “at yet another opportunity to celebrate the next generation of farmers who will continue to feed our rapidly growing population, the entrepreneurs and innovators of tomorrow”. He said their “passion validates the strategic importance of GOLDEN MORN’s investment to provide support, opportunities and platforms to enable you create or scale your businesses and improve livelihoods within the agricultural value chain.”
Elhusseini further encouraged them “to take advantage of the grants you will receive today to leverage the mentorship and the networks that you have formed, to make a significant impact by creating jobs for the teeming Nigerian youths.”
Also speaking during the presentation, Obianuju Okafor, Project & Finance Manager of the Enterprise Development Center (EDC), Pan Atlantic University affirmed entrepreneurship as “a critical pathway to improving the economy and upscaling the Agricultural value chain”. For which reason “we are delighted that our continued collaboration with Nestlé GOLDEN MORN on the Agripreneurship Webinar Series continues to provide excellent opportunities for young agripreneurs to be trained on creating and running sustainable business models, to enable them increase their business productivity, ultimately impacting positively on the economy of the nation”.
Joshua Bitrus of Agrigain Locura Ventures, Kaduna, who responded on behalf of all the beneficiaries, said, “I am delighted to be a recipient of the GOLDEN MORN Agripreneurship Webinar Series grant. The grant will definitely go a long way towards actualizing business expansion, not only for myself but also for my fellow recipients”. He called on other young people to take advantage of the opportunities provided by companies such as Nestlé Nigeria.”
The Webinar series exposes young agripreneurs to relevant trainings on different aspects of the agricultural value chain, with focus on grains. After the training, beneficiaries are supported with seedling and mentorship to enable them thrive in their businesses. The fifth series of the program is scheduled for October 2022. The webinar is open to all budding or existing Agric-based entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 years.
GOLDEN MORN from Nestlé, the Good Food, Good Life company, is committed to unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone today and for generations to come.
