News in brief:
– Over 3,000 graduates applied for the Young Farmers Agricultural Revolution programme, spearheaded by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin to boost agriculture and youth employment in Nigeria.
– The initiative will empower 558 young farmers with loans up to ₦5 million, with successful applicants to be announced next week.
A total of 3,110 graduates have applied for the Young Farmers Agricultural Revolution programme, an initiative led by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, aimed at boosting agriculture and youth employment in Nigeria’s North West region.
The programme, part of the Barau Initiative for Agricultural Revolution in the North West (BIARN), will empower 558 young farmers with loans ranging from ₦1 million to ₦5 million, provided in partnership with the Bank of Agriculture (BOA). Applications opened on March 7 and closed on March 21, 2025.
According to Ismail Mudashir, Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate President on Media and Publicity, Kano State received the highest number of applications with 998 due to its 44 local government areas. Jigawa followed with 590 applications, then Katsina (455), Kaduna (397), Zamfara (240), Sokoto (221), and Kebbi with 209.
Following a screening process, successful applicants will be notified next week using the contact details they provided. The programme is chaired by Prof. Bashir Mohammed Fagge, a renowned animal scientist, and will be officially launched next month ahead of the farming season.
Three graduates will be selected from each of the 186 local government areas across the seven states to cultivate rice or maize, key crops for food security in the region.
Senator Barau emphasised that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on food security and job creation for Nigeria’s youth. He noted that agriculture remains vital to the economy of the North and must be revitalised to drive sustainable growth and prosperity.
