Minister Pledges Support For Women, Youth In Agribusiness Value Chain
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has said that active participation of youth and women farmers will fast-track the development of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, boost production, revitalize agribusiness, and strengthen food and nutrition security.
Kyari made the remarks during a visit to D’More Food and Spices, the food processing arm of Jet Farms Agro Solution Ltd, at the Technology Incubation Hub in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
He explained that the ministry was committed to providing a strategic policy framework that would transform agriculture into a tech-enabled, youth- and women-driven sector. According to him, the agenda includes promoting mechanization, digital agriculture, and stronger research-to-commercialization linkages.
“The initiative will ensure that youth and women farmers have a conducive environment for agribusiness and maximize their potential in production, packaging, marketing, and distribution within the agriculture ecosystem,” Kyari said.
The minister added that the move was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that the ministry would continue to support Jet Farms and other emerging youths and women led agribusiness ventures nationwide.
During the tour, Kyari inspected a variety of products under the D’More Spices brand, including curry, thyme, chili pepper, and rice.
In his remarks, Team Lead of Jet Farms, Tobi Jeremiah Olanrewaju, highlighted the company’s mission to reduce post-harvest losses while creating jobs and value.
“The food processing arm of Jet Farms and Agro Solutions Ltd was born out of one simple but urgent mission: to stop the painful waste of farmers’ harvests, to create dignified jobs for young people and women, and to take the bold flavors of Nigeria to tables across the world,” Olanrewaju said.
He stressed that every year, smallholder farmers lose up to half their harvests due to poor storage and processing facilities. “At D’More, we saw both a tragedy and an opportunity. By processing ginger, turmeric, thyme, curry, chili, crayfish, and rice into premium-quality spices and food products, we are extending shelf life, creating value, and turning what could have been waste into both income for farmers and nourishment for families,” he added.
Olanrewaju further noted that beyond tackling waste, the initiative was reshaping the perception of agriculture. “More than that, we are showing that agriculture is not just survival, it is prosperity and pride,” he said.
He, however, appealed for single-digit financing from institutions such as the Bank of Industry (BOI), the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), and other intervention programmes to expand operations.
The highlight of the minister’s visit was the inspection of the company’s raw materials store, processing unit, and finished products section.
Minister Pledges Support For Women, Youth In Agribusiness Value Chain is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
