No less than 5,345 youths and women have benefited from the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the federal government which spearheaded by the current Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina.

Reports from Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have revealed that women and youth were the main beneficiaries of the ATA.

According to the 2014 annual report of the ministry, several programmes including the Youth Employment Agriculture Program (YEAP) was launched to develop a new generation of 750,000 young commercial farmers and agribusiness leaders for Nigeria.

It added that the first set of 28 Nagropreneurs received grants between N2 million and N5 million to further develop their agribusiness in January 2015.

The report revealed that an expression of interest for financing of business plans had gone out for the second round of grants to Nagropreneurs.

The report also revealed that in other interventions by the Gender and Youth Desk of the ministry, a total of 2,274 youths and 3,071 women were trained in 10 Agric value chains namely Rice, Cassava, Sorghum, Maize and Soya Beans.

Others include Horticulture,cattle,sheep and goat,poultry and fish farming.

It added that a total of 2,274 units of start up kits,access to fertilisers and credits were also provided to the trained youths, while a number of selected women were also provided with same.

Speaking on this achievements, chief executive officer/founder, Fresh & Young Brains Development Initiative, Barrister Nkiru Nnaemego commended the efforts of the Minister describing him as a passionate and committed individual to his work.

In her words “I endorse Dr Akinwumi Adesina for his track record in the Agric Ministry. He is focused, committed and passionate about his work. He has a clear vision and mission for the AfDB”

She said he has really supported the youth through the Ministry’s programmes especially the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme launched by President Goodluck Jonathan last December to support young Nagropreneurs

Also speaking, a beneficiary of the first Grain Aggregation Centre (GAC) and a woman farmer Mrs Elejo Peters asserted that the efforts of the present Minister, Dr Akinwumi Adesina to women farmers has been very encouraging.