Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has presented profit cheques to youths who participated in the Bring Back the Youth in Agriculture programme for the 2025 harvest season. About 4,657 young farmers received cheques ranging from N500,000 to N1,500,000 at the event held at Osuntokun Pavilion, Government House, Ado Ekiti. The cheques represented profits totaling one billion naira generated from farming activities carried out across the state during a public ceremony attended by government officials and development partners present there.
Speaking at the presentation, Governor Oyebanji said his administration would continue to support youth driven agricultural initiatives through access to land, improved inputs, extension services, mechanization, market linkages and partnerships with the private sector. He explained that the support is meant to help young farmers grow profitable agribusinesses while strengthening food production and income opportunities in rural communities across Ekiti State according to him, the programme remains a key pillar of the state’s economic development strategy, especially for youths seeking sustainable livelihoods through modern agriculture value chains statewide today operations.
The Governor stated that the programme aligns with his administration’s shared prosperity agenda because it leads to job creation and contributes significantly to food sufficiency, poverty alleviation and the general well-being of Ekiti residents. He stressed that agriculture, when properly supported, can absorb thousands of young people and reduce dependence on government employment while improving household income levels in the state through inclusive policies, structured training, access to finance, and clear market opportunities that encourage long-term participation and responsible business practices among beneficiaries statewide over time and seasons, officials said during recent reviews of programme outcomes and youth engagement levels.
Governor Oyebanji, who was represented at the event by the Chief of Staff, Mr Niyi Adebayo, described the gathering as a reward for months of dedication, resilience and adherence to best agricultural practices by the participants. He said the event sends a strong message to young people in Ekiti and beyond that agriculture is no longer a vocation of last resort but a business that can be proudly and profitably pursued on a sustainable basis with clear returns, structured support, and opportunities for growth, innovation, and expansion across value chains including crop production, processing, storage, and distribution networks statewide, officials explained during the ceremony in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday afternoon.
While expressing appreciation to the youths for their resilience and cooperation throughout the project period, the Governor said he was proud of their achievements, noting that the results showed what young people can accomplish with the right support, training and commitment. He added that the participants have proven they can drive economic growth and become employers of labour rather than job seekers according to him, this shift is essential for reducing youth unemployment, strengthening local economies, and building confidence in agriculture as a reliable source of income, dignity, and long-term stability for families and communities across Ekiti State, especially among rural populations participating actively in the programme this season alone, officials said at the event held at the pavilion venue.
He urged the beneficiaries to utilize the proceeds wisely by reinvesting in their farms, expanding operations, adopting modern technologies and applying best practices to build sustainable agribusinesses. The Governor said the success recorded should mark the beginning of bigger achievements rather than the end of their journey, advising them to remain focused and disciplined. “Today’s gathering is not just about the presentation of cheques, it is about celebrating the triumph of our youth, an event that tells a powerful story of hard work, discipline, vision, and success,” he said, noting that it also validates the belief in agriculture as a viable economic pathway while reaffirming the administration’s commitment to inclusion and sustainable development across the state. He described the occasion as evidence of policy consistency and measurable outcomes for youths.
He recalled that when the Bring Back Youth into Agriculture programme was launched in 2024, the goal was to deliberately re-engage young people in agriculture as a profitable business capable of providing sustainable livelihoods and strengthening food security in Ekiti State. “I’m proud to announce today that this vision has yielded tangible and measurable results,” the Governor said. He cited data from the National Bureau of Statistics showing that Ekiti State ranks among states with the lowest month-on-month food inflation movement, attributing the outcome partly to increased local production and improved supply from programme participants during the 2025 harvest season, according to officials familiar with the figures released recently by the bureau nationwide this year alone, he added publicly there.
It was noted that the programme has grown from 911 participants one year ago to about 5,000 this year, representing over 500 percent growth in headcount. The Governor said the current cohort generated a total profit of N1 billion, a 700 percent increase over the N145 million recorded in 2024, urging beneficiaries to reinvest for greater returns. “What I am saying is that reinvest in your business so you can grow, if you’re taking home one million naira this year, reinvest,” he said, explaining that consistent reinvestment could lead to four or five million naira earnings in subsequent seasons through expansion, scale, and efficiency, cautioning against complacency at early stages.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade, thanked the Governor for his commitment, citing interventions including twelve farm hubs, free land clearing of up to 5,000 hectares, security, dormitories and buses. Other officials and beneficiaries also expressed appreciation for facilities and support that improved productivity and living conditions. “This is the second edition of the presentation of cheques, with the first held in November 2024,” he said, adding that close to 5,000 youths received N1 billion today, while EKDIPA Director General Mrs Lolade Olutola and Youth Commissioner Mr Gold Adedayo praised impacts on IGR as participants Johnson Owoeye and Mayowa Michael thanked government and YSJ Farms
