Agrisiti, UNIPORT Inaugurate Free 12-Week Agribusiness, Climate-Smart Skills Initiative for Youth 

Funmi Ogundare

Agrisiti Nigeria, in partnership with the University of Port Harcourt and supported by Ruforum and Mastercard Foundation, has launched a free 12-week agribusiness and climate-smart skills programme aimed at equipping 3,500 young Nigerians with practical, employment-ready skills across seven states of the federation.

The initiative, known as the Agrisiti Tagdev Hybrid Agribusiness programme, targets youths aged 18 to 35 in Ogun, Enugu, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, Kano and Niger States, with a focus on out-of-school youths and learners in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

The programme is implemented in collaboration with Tagdev 2.0 and will combine digital learning with hands-on practical training.

Participants will also undergo mobile-first instruction through Telegram and the Agrisiti Digital Learning platform, complemented by in-person practical sessions at designated state demonstration hubs.

Successful participants will receive digital certificates at the end of the programme.

Speaking on the initiative, Chief Operating Officer of Agrisiti, Eneyi Ante, said the programme was designed to bridge the skills and access gap preventing young Nigerians from benefiting fully from the country’s agricultural potential, adding that the curriculum covers modern agribusiness practices, with emphasis on rice and aquaculture value chains, mentorship from industry experts, access to startup networks, and career readiness support, including internship opportunities.

“Nigeria’s rice and aquaculture sectors hold immense potential, but many young people lack the training, mentorship, and access needed to participate meaningfully. This programme equips them with practical, climate-smart skills to build sustainable agribusinesses or pursue career opportunities across these value chains,” Ante said.

Despite agriculture accounting for 15.4 per cent of Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Nigeria continues to grapple with food insecurity, hunger and youth unemployment.

Globally, an estimated 828 million people were undernourished in 2021, while more than 3.1 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet, underscoring the need for innovative and inclusive agricultural solutions.

The Agrisiti–UNIPORT initiative, the chief operating officer noted, seeks to reverse the trend of youth disengagement from agriculture by promoting inclusive, climate-smart agribusiness, fostering innovation, and strengthening both entrepreneurial and employment pathways through mentorship, incubation and networking support.