Coldspots and Hotspots of Agriculture in Nigeria; Any Hope for Youth and Women?

Abstract

Africa has 25 percent of the world’s arable land, yet it cannot boast of food sufficiency let alone tapping into food export opportunities. It is no longer news that the women folks in Africa are greatly marginalised and confronted by numerous challenges. Meanwhile, youth engagement in agriculture is presently seen as one of the ways to achieve zero hunger by 2030 as set by the sustainable development goals. Using critical review approach, this study aims to review past and present agriculture programs aimed at encouraging youth and women in agriculture. We found that access to land and weak land tenure system; high cost and unavailability of inputs, infrastructural deficit; poor access to information; inadequate extension service and poor pricing policy are the main constraints for the youth and women in Nigeria. However, opportunities such as employment, large market, vast arable land, increasing investment of government and private sector and value addition. The policy message from this study is straight: effort should be intensified and constructive approaches through polices that support pathways in which opportunities can be harnessed and constraints offed.