The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has allocated $2.238 million to strengthen youth employment in agriculture, funding 10 Agricultural Research Centres and five Agroecology and Organic Production Centres, including Songhai Centres, across the region.
Announced during a workshop in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin, the initiative aims to train 3,850 young people—40% of them women—equipping them with essential skills for sustainable agricultural development.
Speaking at the event, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs. Massandjé Toure-Litse, emphasized the program’s alignment with ECOWAS’ vision for inclusive and innovative agriculture. “Training young people is an investment in our collective future,” she stated, highlighting its role in improving productivity, competitiveness, and employment opportunities in the sector.
Prof. Godfrey Nzamujo, Director of the Songhai Centre, hailed the initiative as a transformative step toward an integrated economic model that merges agriculture, industry, and services for long-term development.
The workshop, which introduced the beneficiaries to the 2024/2025 grant framework, is part of ECOWAS’ broader Regional Strategy for Youth Employment in Agricultural Value Chains, aiming to foster self-employment and entrepreneurship in West Africa’s agro-sylvo-pastoral and fisheries sectors.
