The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has called for increased investment in young people as a critical strategy for transforming Africa’s food systems, boosting agricultural productivity and achieving long-term food security.
Kyari made the call while speaking at the 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW) and the 10th General Assembly of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) in Abuja, where policymakers, researchers, development partners and private sector stakeholders gathered to discuss the future of agriculture on the continent.
The minister said Africa’s growing youth population represents a major asset for agricultural transformation but noted that inadequate investment in skills, innovation, technology and agribusiness opportunities has limited young people’s participation in the sector.
According to Kyari, people under the age of 35 account for less than 10 per cent of formal agribusiness owners in Africa, a situation he attributed not to a lack of interest but to insufficient access to finance, land, technology, mentorship and enabling policies.
He stressed the need for governments, development institutions and the private sector to invest in youth-led agricultural enterprises, describing young people as central to building resilient food systems capable of meeting the continent’s future needs.
Kyari also underscored the importance of science, research and innovation in modernising agriculture, saying sustainable food production would depend on the adoption of improved technologies, climate-smart farming practices and stronger collaboration between researchers and farmers.
The minister urged African countries to develop homegrown agricultural solutions that respond to local realities, arguing that innovation and knowledge-sharing are essential to reducing hunger, improving productivity and strengthening food security across the continent.
His remarks align with the Federal Government’s broader agricultural agenda, including the recently unveiled 2026–2035 Agrifood System Strategy and Action Plan, which seeks to attract investment, strengthen value chains, create jobs and build a more resilient food system in Nigeria.
Stakeholders at the conference echoed the minister’s position, calling for stronger partnerships among governments, research institutions, development agencies and the private sector to empower young people and accelerate agricultural transformation across Africa.
