September 19, (THEWILL) — The South-South youths in agriculture have received a major boost as key stakeholders in the sector, including the Nigerian Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative (NAADI) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), pledged support to strengthen their structures and ensure access to funding for agribusiness projects.
Speaking at the official inauguration of the South-South Youth in Agriculture, Akwa Ibom State chapter, in Uyo on Thursday, the South-South Coordinator of NAADI, Mr Howard Usen, said the inauguration marked a turning point in youth participation in agriculture across the region.
Usen stressed that many associations fail to attract meaningful funding due to lack of structure and proper governance frameworks. He explained that NAADI, in partnership with the Federation of Agricultural Communities of Nigeria, will assist the newly inaugurated body in developing covenants and operational standards that would meet global best practices.
“If you don’t have structure and good covenants, most organisations will not fund you. But once these structures are in place, it becomes easier for organisations and agencies to support and invest in you. We are committed to helping this body establish these standards”, Usen disclosed.
According to him, NAADI will also partner with relevant expos and institutions to provide training for executives of the association across all local government areas of the state. He noted that the training would cover areas such as cooperative management, financial accountability, and the development of templates aligned with United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) standards.
“With these minimum standards, accessing funding from government agencies, development partners, and international organisations will no longer be difficult”, he added.
In a goodwill message, the Head of Development Finance at the CBN, Uyo branch, Mr Obinna Inyiama, assured that the apex bank was fully committed to supporting agric-related projects, particularly for youths.
He highlighted the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme as a key intervention window through which farmers could access loans of up to N1 million from Microfinance Banks (MFBs). He explained that CBN would guarantee 75 percent of the loan value in case of default, thereby de-risking lending to young farmers.
“The facility can last up to one year, and beneficiaries who meet repayment obligations can reapply. With just 40 percent of the interest amount paid by CBN even as farmers can roll over into another cycle”, Inyiama explained, urging youths to take advantage of the scheme.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor, represented by a director in the ministry, commended the resilience of the Youth in Agriculture programme, recalling that Akwa Ibom youths had consistently topped national competitions due to record cassava yields and innovative farming practices.
She assured that the ministry would continue to provide improved seedlings and technical support in line with Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda on food security.
She, however, advised the new leadership of the youth body to always submit requests in good time to ensure timely delivery of inputs.
The event climaxed with the formal inauguration of the Akwa Ibom State chapter executive, led by Mr Sylvester Edet Sunday, who pledged to mobilise young people across the state to embrace agriculture as a sustainable pathway to prosperity.
The inauguration, stakeholders noted, signals a new era of institutional backing for South-South youths in agriculture, with renewed hopes for access to credit, capacity building, and improved productivity.
