Young Women in Agriculture
On July 13, 2023, the Federal Government of Nigeria declared a national emergency on food security, recognizing agriculture as a critical national priority amidst escalating climate challenges, land degradation, and growing food insecurity. A bold and historic vision — a covenant with the Nigerian people, under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Why Nigeria Cannot Wait
UNESCO REF's strategic response to Nigeria's food security emergency — bold, inclusive, and globally benchmarked.
Food Security Crisis
Escalating food insecurity threatens 25M+ Nigerians, driven by climate shocks and land degradation demanding scalable alternatives.
The Gender Agriculture Gap
Women constitute 60–80% of Nigeria's smallholder farmers yet receive less than 10% of available agricultural resources and credit.
Youth Unemployment Crisis
60% of Nigeria's youth are unemployed or underemployed. YWA creates scalable enterprise pathways with guaranteed off-take markets.
Scale, Ambition & Global Reach
Three Pillars of Transformation
A comprehensive, enterprise-grade curriculum co-certified by the London School of Management (UK), delivered through an internationally convened consortium.
- Water-efficient year-round cultivation systems
- Climate-smart controlled environment agriculture
- US-led curriculum with international practicum options
- Greenhouse campus training modules (Israel · USA)
- LSM UK co-certified qualification
- Industrial fibre crop production & systems management
- Structured off-take contracts at national scale
- Non-oil FX export commodity — forex diversification
- Textile, paper, and biofuel value chain development
- ₦400K per acre × 4 cycles = ₦1.6M+ guaranteed annual income
- ENTILEAD entrepreneurship curriculum delivery
- Agribusiness management & SME scaling strategies
- Women Space USA one-year complimentary membership
- Structured cross-border mentorship & knowledge exchange
- Global professional network with international alumni
12,000,000 Champions Across Nigeria
Equally distributed across all 6 geopolitical zones — ensuring every state, every LGA, and every Nigerian community is reached and no one is left behind.
| Zone | States | 5-Year Target | Per State | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North West | 7 | 2,000,000 | 285,715 | 16.67% |
| North East | 6 | 2,000,000 | 333,335 | 16.67% |
| North Central | 7 | 2,000,000 | 285,715 | 16.67% |
| South West | 6 | 2,000,000 | 333,335 | 16.67% |
| South East | 5 | 2,000,000 | 400,000 | 16.67% |
| South South | 6 | 2,000,000 | 333,335 | 16.67% |
| TOTAL NATIONAL | 37 | 12,000,000 | Equal Distribution | 100% |
UN SDG & African Union Agenda 2063
YWA directly contributes to 10 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Click any goal to visit the official UN SDG website.
Training & Certification Pathway
ISO/IEC 17024-compliant · UNESCO ISCED aligned · Co-certified by the London School of Management, UK · Internationally recognized UNESCO REF credential
- Multilingual orientation (5 languages)
- Online + in-Nigeria practical sessions
- Self-paced flexible study
- Self-paced LMS delivery platform
- UNESCO ISCED · ISO 21001 aligned
- US-led curriculum (Lichfield Academy)
- Hydroponics & kenaf enterprise modules
- Immersive hands-on training in Nigeria
- Optional international practicum
- USA · UK · Israel campus collaborations
- Greenhouse & prototype lab sessions
- ISO/IEC 17024 compliant assessments
- LSM UK co-certified credential
- UNESCO REF unified certificate issued
- Pulse Engineering capstone evaluation
Guaranteed Livelihoods. Predictable Prosperity.
Structured off-take agreements guarantee ₦400,000 per acre every 12 weeks — achievable 4 times a year — creating predictable, scalable income streams for every certified YWA graduate.
Per acre, per certified kenaf producer, via structured off-take agreement. More acreage = more income.
💱 FX Inflows
Kenaf as a non-oil export generates foreign exchange, diversifying Nigeria away from crude oil dependency.
👥 450,000 Jobs
Direct employment across agribusiness, processing, branding, export facilitation and product distribution.
🌱 Food Security
Year-round hydroponic cultivation reduces food price volatility and fortifies supply against climate shocks.
🏛️ Pension Relief
Civil servants within 5 years of retirement gain enterprise skills and guaranteed market access for lifelong income.
A World-Class Alliance Across 4 Continents
Delivered through an internationally convened consortium spanning governments, universities, certifying bodies, research institutes, and enterprise networks.
Transparent. Fiduciary-Grade. Results-Driven.
A comprehensive accountability framework built to international financial standards, with real-time visibility accessible to government, donors, and the public.
Fiduciary Controls
Signals of Delivery
Join a Movement
That Feeds Nations
The Young Women in Agriculture National Empowerment Programme is Nigeria's most ambitious, internationally backed agricultural initiative — and the window for partnership is open.
Project National Secretariat
Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development
1 Better Life Street, Opposite Central Bank of Nigeria,
Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria