The Federal Government has engaged 200 young Nigerians in various enterprise clusters as part of efforts to promote innovation, job creation and growth in the agricultural sector.

Hauwa Liman, Technical Assistant to the Vice President on Women, Youth Engagement and Impact, disclosed this at the Arewa Agricultural and Innovation Summit in Kano.

Liman said the initiative was designed to move youth and women empowerment programmes beyond policy discussions by providing participants with practical tools, networks and support to turn ideas into sustainable businesses.

She said the programme followed engagements with young Nigerians across seven states and three regions, during which their concerns, challenges and ideas were documented.

According to her, the initiative would expose young people to opportunities across the agricultural value chain, including food processing, logistics, technology and other related businesses.

Liman urged youths to take advantage of opportunities in agriculture, stressing that the sector offered prospects beyond traditional farming.

Earlier, Attahiru Jega, Co-Chairman of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, described youths and women as critical to the future of Nigeria’s agriculture and livestock industries.

Jega said the five-day summit provided training for emerging agricpreneurs in livestock, poultry, horticulture and fisheries, with participants grouped into enterprise clusters for mentorship and market access.

He also announced the launch of the SHE FARMS Nigeria Project, aimed at increasing women’s participation in sustainable agricultural enterprises.

Jega called on stakeholders to provide young agricpreneurs with access to technology, finance, partnerships and markets to transform agriculture into a modern and profitable sector.

Also speaking, Haruna Musa, Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, said the institution remained committed to promoting research, innovation and entrepreneurship among young Nigerians.

He stressed the need for stronger partnerships between universities and industry to translate academic knowledge into practical solutions capable of addressing challenges in agriculture and other sectors.

(NAN)