The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Federal Government, and the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Niger-Delta (LIFE-ND) Project have enrolled and trained 697 young farmers in Ondo State to help tackle food shortages in the country.
Dr Olawale Ademola, IFAD State Project Coordinator, disclosed this during a learning route for trainees in the additional financing phase of the project, held at Nibanola Farms in Ondo Town on Wednesday.
Ademola, represented by Mr Gbenga Agbotoba, IFAD State Knowledge Management and Communication Officer, said the 697 trainees were drawn from 49 communities across nine Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Ondo State.
He explained that the learning route was designed to equip the trainees with additional technical skills and expose them to different business environments to help them stay focused and motivated in their enterprises.
“Today, about 30 trainees from Akure North, Akoko North-West, Owo, Ondo East, Ilaje and Ese-Odo LGAs participated in the learning route,” he said.
Ademola noted that the trainees had already been trained in their chosen enterprises, including cassava, cocoa, fishery, and poultry production.
He added that the learning route aimed to expose them to practical knowledge and strengthen their capacity in enterprise management and value chain development.
“The 697 trainees were enrolled in November 2025. Some received one-month training while others underwent three months. Each was paid a monthly stipend of N50,000,” he said.
“The project is now preparing to empower them with grants so they can start their own businesses and apply what they have learned.”
Ademola encouraged young people to embrace agribusiness, listing opportunities in cocoa production and marketing, cassava processing, poultry, fish production, and vegetable farming (tomato, cucumber, and pepper).
Mr Segun Akinbinuade, General Manager of Nibanola Farms, urged the trainees to develop the right mindset and see agriculture as a flourishing and profitable business.
He encouraged Nigerian youths to pursue agribusiness rather than chasing white-collar jobs.
One of the trainees, Adebukunola Olowolagba, a poultry farmer from Akoko North-West LGA, thanked IFAD for the training and empowerment programme.
“The visit to Nibanola Farms has given me more encouragement in my poultry business. The farm believes in persistence and consistency. If we young farmers put in more effort, success will surely be ours,” she said.
Similarly, Salaudeen Isiaka from Isuada, Owo LGA, applauded IFAD for introducing young people to agribusiness, saying it would enable them to start successful farming businesses with little capital.
