Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji says his administration would continue to support youth -driven agricultural initiatives through access to land, improved inputs, extension services mechanization, market linkages and partnership with the private sector.
The Governor stated this during the presentation of cheques totaling one billion naira as profits made by the young farmers under the Bring Back the Youth in Agriculture programme for the 2025 harvest season.
About 4,657 youths who participated in the programme got cheques ranging from N500,000 to N1,500,000 at the event which took place at Osuntokun Pavilion, Government House, Ado Ekiti.
Governor Oyebanji who stressed that the programme aligns with his administration’s shared prosperity agenda because it leads to job creation which contributes significantly towards to food sufficiency, poverty alleviation and general well-being of Ekiti residents.
The Governor, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Mr Niyi Adebayo noted that the event represented the reward of the youths for months of dedication, resilience and adherence to best agricultural practices, adding that it signalled a strong message to every young person in the state and beyond that agriculture is no longer a vocation of last resort but a business that one can proudly and profitably engage in on sustainable basis.
While expressing appreciation to the youths for their resilience and cooperation throughout the period of the project, the Governor said he is proud of their achievements as it demonstrated that with the right support, training and commitment, young people can drive economic growth and become employers of labour rather than job seekers.
He further urged them to utilize the proceeds wisely by reinvesting it in their farms by expanding their operations, adopting modern technologies and best practices as well as building sustainable agribusiness that can stand the test of time, stressing the need for them to let their success mark the beginning of bigger achievements rather than the end of their journey.
“Today’s gathering is not just about the presentation of Cheques, it is about celebrating the triumph of our youth, an event that tells a powerful story of hard work, of discipline, of vision, of success. It is also to validate our own our belief in agriculture as a viable and economic pathway, which and reaffirming our administration’s commitment to inclusion and sustainable development.
“When we conceived and launched the Bring Back Youth into Agriculture in our State in 2024, our objective was clear, it was to deliberately re-engage young people in agriculture, not as a subsistence activity, but as a profitable business capable of providing sustainable livelihood and strengthening food security in a Ekiti state. I’m proud to announce today that this vision has yielded tangible and measurable results.
“Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that Ekiti State is one of the states with the lowest food inflation movement in month on month basis.
It is noteworthy that this programming was was made in a way that has grown from 911 participants from one year ago about 5,000 this year, this represents over 500 percent growth in headcount. This cohort is of 5,000 participants and they have collectively generated a total profit of 1Billion Naira representing a 700% increase over the 145 million naira generated in 2024.
“What I am saying is that reinvest in your business so that you can grow, if you’re taking home one million naira this year, reinvest, such that when you’re coming next year to collect cheques you’ll be collecting four, five million, that is what this is about, it’s not time to start beginning to think that you have arrived and that you are big men and women, these are the early days and i pray you all get bigger and stronger and more prosperous.
“As a government we remain fully committed to creating an enabling environment for youth to thrive, we will continue to support youth driven agricultural initiatives through access to land improved inputs extension services mechanization market linkages and partnership with the private sector, this programme aligns squarely with our administration’s shared prosperity agenda as it leads to job creation and contributes significantly towards our quest for food sufficiency, poverty alleviation and general well-being to our stakeholders most especially the ministry of agriculture and food security, and our most valid private partners YSJ farms limited. The Governor stated.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade, expressed his appreciation to Governor Oyebanji for nurturing the vision, support and commitment to the success of the programme through his intervention in the establishment of twelve farm hubs for the youths, free land clearing that’s up to 5,000 hectares, provision of adequate security, construction of five dormitories in Ikere, Eporo, Ado, Aramoko and Iyemero as well as provision of buses to all the farm clusters among others.
“This is the second edition of the Presentation of Cheques to worthy and committed youths. The first edition was held in November 2024 and a little over 1000 youths were rewarded with around N145million, today, close to 5,000 committed and hardworking youths will be rewarded with N1billion. Mr Boluwade stated.
In their separate goodwill messages, the Director General, Ekiti Development and Investment Promotion Agency (EKDIPA), Mrs Lolade Olutola and Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Gold Adedayo Commended Governor Oyebanji for his efforts at ensuring wealth creation through agriculture saying the project has positively impacted a number of government offices which has brought increase in the state’s IGR.
They also thanked the YSJ for its trust in the state to reposition the agricultural sector of the economy and improvement in the food security of the state.
Speaking on behalf of other participants, Johnson owoeye and Mayowa Michael thanked Governor Oyebanji for providing the youths with the necessary and modern working implements, security, buses, dormitories and solar power that provide day and night electricity.
