In Kano and Kaduna States, youth are reshaping agriculture through hands-on mechanization training under the I-Youth initiative in collaboration with the African Agricultural Leadership Institute (AALI). Supported by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Mastercard Foundation, the program equips young people—especially women and persons with disabilities (PWDs)—with practical skills in modern farm machinery.
Participants learned to operate power tillers, seed planters, and winnowing machines—technologies often out of reach for smallholder farmers. These tools enhance efficiency, reduce labor intensity, and boost productivity across value chains.
For many, the experience reframed agriculture as a viable business, not just subsistence work. Training demonstrated how mechanization expands cultivated areas, improves crop establishment, and strengthens post-harvest handling, fostering profitable agribusiness opportunities.
The program’s inclusive approach challenged traditional perceptions. Women and PWDs actively operated equipment, showing that access to knowledge and tools—not gender or physical condition—determines opportunity.
Beyond technical skills, the initiative built confidence and entrepreneurial thinking. Trained youth can now offer mechanization services in their communities, generate income, and strengthen local food systems.
This experience reflects the growing role of youth-led innovation in transforming Nigerian agriculture, where mechanization is a practical pathway to productivity, inclusion, and sustainable growth