Ondo Unveils Smart Farming Initiative to Boost Food Security and Youth Employment

Ondo Unveils Smart Farming Initiative to Boost Food Security and Youth Employment

The Ondo State Agricultural Empowerment Centre (OSAEC) has unveiled a Climate-Smart Agribusiness Empowerment Scheme aimed at modernising agriculture, creating employment opportunities and strengthening food security through the adoption of technology-driven farming systems.

The initiative forms part of the Ondo State Government’s broader strategy to encourage commercial agriculture, improve productivity and attract more young people into the sector by promoting innovative farming methods that require less land while delivering higher yields.

Speaking on the programme, the Chairman of OSAEC, Mr. Rotimi Wemimo Akinsola, said the state government plans to expand the initiative through the establishment of additional greenhouses and vertical farms across Ondo State.

According to him, the second phase of the programme is designed to make farming more efficient, profitable and resilient by leveraging modern technologies that enable year-round production regardless of weather conditions or the size of available farmland.

Akinsola explained that greenhouse and vertical farming systems provide farmers with greater control over temperature, water, nutrients and pest management, leading to improved crop quality, higher yields and reduced production risks.

He noted that these modern production systems are particularly suitable for cultivating vegetables and other high-value crops while maximising the use of limited land resources.

Capacity Building for Farmers and Youths

Beyond infrastructure development, the initiative places strong emphasis on human capital development.

Akinsola disclosed that participating farmers will receive continuous training through a Train-the-Trainer (TTT) model, enabling experienced participants to transfer knowledge and technical skills to other farmers within their communities.

The programme also seeks to expose school-age children and young people to modern agricultural practices, helping to build interest in agribusiness and prepare the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs.

According to him, introducing young people to technology-driven agriculture will not only improve future food production but also create new employment opportunities across the agricultural value chain.

Market Access Already Identified

To improve the commercial success of participating farmers, OSAEC has also identified market opportunities and established relationships with produce off-takers who will purchase vegetables and other farm products.

Akinsola assured prospective participants that there is strong and growing demand for quality fresh produce, reducing concerns about market access after production.

The initiative is expected to strengthen agricultural value chains by linking producers directly with buyers while improving farmers’ incomes and encouraging greater private-sector participation in horticulture.

Supporting Climate-Smart Agriculture

The Smart Farming Initiative aligns with global efforts to promote climate-smart agriculture by encouraging farming practices that increase productivity while improving resilience to climate change and reducing environmental impact.

Greenhouse farming, vertical agriculture and controlled-environment production have become increasingly important as changing weather patterns, land scarcity and water constraints continue to affect conventional farming systems.

By integrating modern technologies with farmer training and market linkages, the programme seeks to improve food production while creating sustainable livelihoods across Ondo State.

Commodity.ng Insight

Ondo State’s Smart Farming Initiative reflects the growing shift towards technology-enabled agriculture in Nigeria. Greenhouses, vertical farms, precision irrigation and controlled-environment agriculture offer significant opportunities to increase productivity, conserve water, reduce crop losses and produce high-value crops throughout the year.

However, scaling these innovations will require affordable financing, technical training, reliable electricity, market access and strong extension services to ensure widespread adoption. If successfully implemented, climate-smart agriculture could help diversify Nigeria’s food production systems, attract more young people into agribusiness, create jobs and strengthen national food security in the face of climate change.