TAO Expands Youth Farming Initiative to Northern Nigeria

News in Brief

-TAO has partnered with two higher institutions in Northern Nigeria to launch a youth-focused agricultural programme that integrates the complete food value chain for agriculture students.

-The initiative provides students with hands-on experience and profit-sharing opportunities to build sustainable food systems.

In continuation of its drive to engage Nigerian youths, especially students, in viable agriculture, The Agriculture Option (TAO) has signed agreements with Bayero University Kano (BUK) and Federal University Dutse (FUD) to expand its youth farming initiative to northern Nigeria.

Building a Tech-Enabled Agriculture Ecosystem

The partnership will create a model youth-powered and tech-enabled agriculture ecosystem initiative, the Young Farmers and Ranchers Agricultural Cluster Development Programme, to be implemented in the institutions. 

The programme will harness the innovative energy of agricultural students. It will combine this vibrant resource with the institution's farmland and facilities. The expertise and technical solutions of TAO will help establish an end-to-end food production system. Initiatives will cover crop and livestock farming, as well as modern food processing and agribusiness management.

The intervention will involve a farm-to-shelf agriculture framework. Traditional farming and value-added activities will transform farm produce into packaged foods and products for consumers.

Driving Youth Participation for National Food Security

TAO's CEO, Mr Femi Adeniyi, noted that Nigeria is at a critical stage, where it needs to be intentional about solving the food problem for its rapidly growing population. Intentionally engaging the youths, who are in abundance, is the way to achieve the country's food self-sufficiency and sustainability goals. Thus, the fuel for TAO's drive for youth farming initiatives across Nigeria.

Referencing a nationwide survey the company conducted earlier, Adeniyi said many agricultural students are willing to pursue agriculture after school if there is an enabling environment. They all already practised farming at different levels, but needed to be convinced that it was commercially viable.

Engaging Students in Stages from 300 to 500 Level

Under the programme, TAO will engage students starting from their 300 level through to graduation:

300 Level – Associates: Students take responsibility for primary production across multiple agricultural value chains. Upon successful participation, they and the institution receive a percentage of profits per production cycle.

400 Level – Fellows: Participants move into food processing and mentor those at the primary production level.

500 Level – Partners: At this stage, students are exposed to full agribusiness management, handling responsibilities such as sales, profitability, record-keeping, sustainability, growth and market opportunities.

By graduation, students are expected to have both agricultural and real business management expertise.

BUK Expresses Full Support for the Programme

Responding to the TAO team, Professor Haruna Musa (FSI), VC of BUK, expressed his deep pleasure for the initiative, stating that the school is ready for the project to commence immediately. He especially commended the project's intentionality, which planned out the participation of students and the scope of operations for different levels.

“The sequence that this is coming is very nicely placed, from the levels 300, 400 and 500, there is placement for every level, and this is what is lacking in the implementation of other programmes," the VC stated. "We tend to put everything all together at once, which makes it difficult to achieve. With this plan and the knowledge you are going to bring along, I believe there will be a classic progressive entrepreneurship skill imparted into the students."

At the signing ceremony, Professor Musa promised the university's total support for the project. He noted that the program will enhance students' training by exposing them to the concept and contexts of viable agribusiness. It will also improve the nation's fortune.

He noted that the TAO intervention is very timely and important, as it will help bridge the significant gap between theory and practical application of knowledge, giving students a good opportunity to experience extension work.

He lauded the company's commitment to including youth in agriculture and particularly commended the value addition component of the initiative. He further described the farm-to-shelf approach to agricultural production as the way forward to Nigeria's goal of self-sufficiency.

TAO’s Track Record with Youth Engagement

TAO has launched similar programmes in institutions such as:

-Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba

-Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo

-Aquatech College of Agriculture, Ibadan.

In these schools, students are already actively involved in fish farming, poultry production, and food crop cultivation—gaining hands-on experience in commercial agriculture.