By Abubakar Yunusa
The President and Chief Executive Officer of Heifer International, Surita Sandosham, has said the organisation is seeking innovative ideas from Nigerian youths to strengthen agriculture and agribusiness in the country.
Sandosham spoke during a special student engagement session organised in collaboration with the University of Abuja’s Faculty of Agriculture in Abuja on Monday.
The programme attracted students interested in agriculture, agribusiness, innovation, sustainability and global development.
Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of session,Sandosham described the interaction with students as inspiring, noting that Nigerian youths have the potential to transform the agricultural sector.
“Today was very inspiring. The whole reason for coming here and meeting with the students in this university, which is focused on agriculture, is to hear from them how we at Heifer International can support them in their innovations,” she said.
She said the organisation runs a youth-focused initiative known as Ayuté Africa Challenge, which promotes the use of technology and innovation in agriculture.
According to her, feedback from Nigerian students would help shape how the organisation supports young agripreneurs in the country.
“What I heard today were some amazing ideas on how we can be more supportive and therefore actually help young people become the dividends that they should be seen as in this country, but also globally,” she said.
Sandosham added that engaging young people was critical to building sustainable food systems and addressing poverty.
She noted that beyond the student engagement, the organisation was also assessing its community-based programmes in Nigeria to ensure they were delivering impact.
“I am also in Nigeria to understand our programming with communities, who are also agripreneurs,” she added.
The Heifer International boss said the organisation’s broader goal was to end hunger and poverty while protecting the environment.
She also commended the enthusiasm of Nigerian students, saying the energy displayed during the engagement reflected strong interest among youths in agriculture and innovation.
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