FG, LANOF, HBF launch youth manifesto to drive agribusiness transformation

The federal government in partnership with the Leonard and Nkiruka Okonkwo Foundation (LANOF) and with support from the Heinrich Boll Foundation have launched the ‘Revised National Youth Manifesto In Agric, Youth in Agribusiness Call to Action 2025,’ aimed at raising a young generation of transformation leaders in Agribusiness.

The launch, which took place in Abuja on Tuesday August 19, 2025, aims to mobilise support towards the implementation of the manifesto and call to action.

According to Abubakar Kyari, minister of Agriculture and Food Security, “The programme is anchored on national frameworks such as the National Agriculture Technology and Innovation Policy, NATIP 2022-2027 and the Revised National Gender Policy in Agriculture for Nigeria and its strategic Plan of Action (2025-2030) among others.”

The minister said the strategy will institutionalise the Nigeria Youth in agribusiness Forum (NYAF) initiative and provide a structured mechanism for implementing the call for action nationwide.

He assured that the ministry is committed to working with LANOF and partners to develop the African Agribusiness Youth Strategy (AAYS).

Kyari affirmed that the launch represents a call to duty for the ministry, noting that all the stakeholders are committed to ensuring that the call to action is translated into actionable policies, investments, and opportunities.

Earlier, while presenting the welcome address, Leonard Okonkwo, co-founder of LANOF, had said through the Youth Farm (Y-Farm) Project, the organisation had developed and launched the current National Youth Manifesto in Agriculture for Nigeria in 2017.

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“The revised edition of the manifesto was anchored on the real aspirations and lived experiences of Nigerian youths across the six geopolitical zones” he said.

“The strength of the manifesto lies in its co-creation by the youth and for the youth,” he noted.

Nkiruka Okonkwo, co-founder of LANOF, said the Revised Manifesto and the Nigerian Youth in Agribusiness Call to Action (NYAF) 2025 presents a bold youth-led and youth-focused strategy to transform agriculture into an inclusive dynamic sector.

She said the manifesto is anchored around eight interconnected priorities, including agroecology and climate resilience, access to land and productive inputs, and youth capacity development.

“The manifesto integrates insights into clear demands and commitments. It is both a policy advocacy tool and a youth empowerment mechanism for building a resilient, inclusive, and future-focused food system in Nigeria,” Nkiruka said.

In her remarks, Kachalla Damaturu, director, Ministry of Special Duties, noted that the manifesto comes at a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s journey towards food security, climate resilience and economic transformation.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet. An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.