Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor | journalist at Weng Global
The Foundation for Sustainable Smallholder Solutions (FSSS) has launched the Global Agri Entrepreneurship Academy (GAEA) as part of activities marking the 2026 International Youth Day, with the initiative aimed at empowering young agricultural entrepreneurs and strengthening support for farmers in Bauchi State.
The new academy is designed to create opportunities for young people interested in agriculture, agribusiness, innovation and food systems while providing them with practical knowledge and connections that can help turn ideas into sustainable businesses.
The launch comes at a time when agriculture remains an important source of livelihoods in Nigeria, particularly for smallholder farmers, while young entrepreneurs are increasingly being encouraged to explore opportunities across the agricultural value chain.
According to a report by Punch, the Foundation for Sustainable Smallholder Solutions is already working to improve agricultural productivity and strengthen the livelihoods of thousands of smallholder farmers across Bauchi State.
Academy to develop young agricultural entrepreneurs
The Brand and Communications Manager of FSSS, Clinton Inene, said GAEA was created to nurture a new generation of agricultural entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers.
He explained that the academy would provide participants with practical learning opportunities, mentorship, industry knowledge, resources and networks capable of helping them develop ideas into viable agricultural ventures.
Inene described the academy as more than an educational platform, saying it would serve as a launchpad for young people seeking to make an impact in agriculture and food systems.
The initiative is expected to expose participants to different aspects of agribusiness and encourage them to approach agriculture not only as farming but also as a sector with opportunities in technology, financing, logistics, marketing, data, extension services and value addition.
The approach reflects the growing need for young people to become involved in solving practical problems affecting farmers rather than focusing exclusively on technology or innovation for its own sake.
FSSS highlights youth participation
The Executive Director of FSSS, Isaiah Gabriel, said the launch demonstrated the organisation’s commitment to empowering young people and accelerating innovation within food systems.
Gabriel stressed that young people were already playing a role in shaping the future of agriculture and should be provided with the tools, networks and opportunities required to expand their impact.
He also linked the academy to the foundation’s broader GroundBreakers initiative, which seeks to stimulate conversations, inspire action and connect young people with emerging opportunities in the food and agriculture sector.
According to the foundation, the response to the first edition has been encouraging, with expectations that the 2027 edition will be larger and provide more opportunities for participants to engage directly and collaborate in person.
Experts urge innovators to understand farmers’ problems
One of the major messages delivered during the programme was the need for young innovators to understand the problems farmers face before developing products or technological solutions.
The Chief Executive Officer of Grabb Livestock, Aisha Sidi, urged young entrepreneurs to focus on the problems they were trying to solve rather than becoming overly attached to technology.
Sidi shared the experience of her organisation in developing digital solutions for livestock farmers. She explained that Grabb Livestock initially operated through a web-based application but later moved to a USSD solution after discovering that many rural farmers did not have the digital literacy needed to use the original platform.
The adjustment, according to her, helped the company increase its reach from approximately 2,000 farmers to more than 50,000.
Her experience demonstrates the importance of developing agricultural innovations around the realities of farmers, especially those operating in rural communities where internet access, smartphones and digital skills may be limited.
Data identified as major opportunity
The CEO, CTO and Co-founder of Agrofount, Dayo Akinbami, also challenged young people to look beyond technology itself and focus on solving agricultural problems.
Akinbami highlighted the growing importance of agricultural data, arguing that reliable information about farmers can improve access to finance, strengthen decision-making and create new opportunities across the agricultural value chain.
For young entrepreneurs, this presents opportunities to develop businesses around farmer registration, market information, financial services, logistics, digital extension and other support systems.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of making agricultural technology accessible to the people it is designed to serve.
Extension services offer opportunities
Another speaker, Alabi, drew attention to challenges affecting agricultural extension services.
He described the sector as facing serious difficulties because of the gap between the number of farmers and the available extension officers who provide technical advice and support.
According to him, the shortage presents an opportunity for young innovators to develop scalable digital platforms capable of delivering agricultural knowledge and advisory services to larger numbers of farmers.
Such solutions could potentially help farmers access information on farming practices, market opportunities, weather conditions, inputs and other issues that influence agricultural productivity.
The academy therefore seeks to encourage participants to look at agriculture as an interconnected ecosystem rather than limiting their focus to crop and livestock production.
Supporting Bauchi’s agricultural sector
The launch of GAEA is particularly significant for Bauchi, where smallholder agriculture remains an important component of rural livelihoods.
Beyond production, agricultural development requires access to markets, finance, infrastructure, technology, extension services and reliable information.
Research on agricultural development in Bauchi has also examined issues such as mechanised farming, irrigation, fish farming and rural infrastructure, reflecting the broad range of opportunities and challenges within the state’s agricultural economy.
The academy’s emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation could therefore help expose young people to areas where they can develop businesses while contributing to improvements within the agricultural value chain.
A platform for the next generation
The Foundation for Sustainable Smallholder Solutions said its objective is to ensure that young people have the knowledge, networks and resources necessary to contribute meaningfully to the future of food systems.
GAEA could provide a platform where aspiring entrepreneurs learn from industry professionals, test ideas, receive mentorship and build relationships with others working in agriculture.
For farmers, the long-term benefit could come from young entrepreneurs developing practical solutions to persistent challenges around market access, financing, logistics, extension and data.
The initiative also reinforces the argument that youth participation is essential to the future of agriculture in Nigeria and across Africa.
As the sector faces changing consumer demands, technological developments and the need to increase food production, young entrepreneurs could play a significant role in introducing new business models and technologies.
The Foundation’s decision to launch GAEA during International Youth Day consequently places youth entrepreneurship at the centre of discussions about agricultural development.
If sustained, expanded and connected to farmers’ real needs, the academy could become an important platform for developing agricultural businesses while strengthening the wider food system in Bauchi and beyond.
Sources: Punch Newspapers; Foundation for Sustainable Smallholder Solutions (FSSS) programme information; agricultural research literature on Bauchi’s farming and rural development.
