The Ekiti State Government will on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, disburse the sum of ₦1 billion to 4,657 youths participating in its Bring Back Our Youths in Agriculture programme.
The disbursement ceremony is scheduled to hold at the Osuntokun Pavilion, Government House, Ado-Ekiti, by 10:00 a.m.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti, explaining that the funds represent profits generated from the programme during the last farming season.
Boluwade said the initiative is part of the Oyebanji-led administration’s empowerment strategy aimed at reinvesting in agriculture to enhance food security, create wealth, and provide sustainable means of livelihood for youths across the state.
According to him, the programme is designed to attract young people into agriculture by granting them access to arable land, farm inputs, technical support, and a guaranteed market for their produce, thereby enabling them to earn steady income and build sustainable agribusiness careers.
He noted that proceeds generated from farm clusters and government-driven agricultural enterprises are consistently reinvested into the sector to sustain growth and expand opportunities for more beneficiaries.
The Commissioner recalled that a similar exercise was carried out last year, during which ₦145 million in profits was shared among 911 youths under the same scheme.
Boluwade further explained that the programme operates a cluster-farming model involving crops such as maize, yam, soya beans, cassava, vegetables, rice, and beans (cowpea).
He added that the state government’s commitment to the initiative has led to an expansion of farm cluster centres from five to twelve, located in Eporo, Ose, Ikere, Ogotun, Omuo, Egbe, Aramoko, Oke-Ako, Iyemero, Gede, Isan/Ayede, and Ise.
According to him, over 5,000 hectares of land have been cleared for farming across the clusters, with five centres already equipped with fully functional dormitories to support participating youths.
He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to continue investing in agriculture as a viable pathway to youth empowerment, job creation, and economic development in Ekiti State.