By Nnasom David

YouthHub Africa has called on the Federal Government to prioritise large-scale investment in youth training and support in agriculture, warning that neglecting unemployed young people could deepen insecurity and cost the country far more in security spending.

The call was made on Tuesday in Abuja by the Executive Director of YouthHub Africa, Rotimi Olawale, at the FCT Young Farmers–Policymakers Engagement Meeting, which brought together young farmers, policymakers, civil society organisations and development partners to examine challenges facing youth participation in agriculture.

Olawale argued that agriculture is not only a food security issue but also a strategic security investment, noting that uneducated and unemployed youths are increasingly vulnerable to recruitment into violent groups. 

He said targeted training, technical support and starter packs for young people in agriculture would significantly reduce the resources Nigeria spends combating insecurity.

According to him, every dollar invested in equipping young people with productive skills, including farming, saves the country many times more in security expenditure that would otherwise be used to address kidnapping, banditry and violent extremism.

He explained that the dialogue focused on smallholder and urban farmers within the Federal Capital Territory, where insecurity is less pronounced, allowing attention to be placed on access to land, inputs, skills and markets. 

He added that bringing young farmers together also creates opportunities for peer learning, technical exchange and shared access to resources beyond funding.

Olawale noted that Nigeria’s agricultural value chain is gradually expanding, with increased activity in food processing and packaging, and said scaling these efforts would enable young farmers to access both domestic and international markets.

Also speaking at the event, the FCT Mandate Secretary of the Youth and Sports Development Secretariat, Lawan Kolo Geidam, represented by the Director of Youth Development, Musa Mamman Lai, said the government was encouraged by the practical application of agroecological skills demonstrated by young farmers. 

He described the initiative as timely, noting that agriculture is becoming a central pillar of Nigeria’s economic diversification.

Lai said issues raised at the meeting, including access to land and financial support, would be reviewed by the government, adding that a policy document developed by participating youths was close to completion and would soon be forwarded for ministerial approval.

On food prices, he said recent government policies had helped to ease food inflation, citing a reduction in the cost of staple commodities compared to the previous year, while stressing the need for sustained policy support.

Participants at the meeting, including young farmer Mary Ogwuche from Gwagwalada Area Council, called for stronger youth engagement in agriculture, saying that despite market challenges, increased youth participation would help boost food production, reduce imports and address broader socio-economic pressures facing the country.