Oyo, ICMPD Launch €2.4 million Agric Initiative for Returning Migrants
At the project agreement signing, Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, highlighted YERP as a milestone in Governor Makinde’s agricultural agenda
Oyo State, in partnership with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), has launched the Youth Empowerment and Reintegration Project (YERP), a €2.4 million initiative to empower 700 young people in agriculture.
Funded by the Government of Denmark, YERP targets youths aged 18 to 35—especially those in rural areas and returnee migrants from the South-West.
At the project agreement signing, Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, highlighted YERP as a milestone in Governor Makinde’s agricultural agenda.
He explained that the project aims to tackle youth unemployment, reintegrate returnee migrants, curb irregular migration, and drive rural economic development through climate-smart, modern agriculture.
YERP will provide 700 participants with access to farmland, climate-smart agricultural training, support for forming cooperatives, market linkages, and livelihood assistance.
The state government has secured 1,766 hectares in Ilero (Kajola LGA) and 50 hectares in Aawe (Afijio LGA) for the project, and will work with stakeholders to ensure beneficiaries’ access to land, training, modern techniques, and markets.
The project also includes support for the tractorisation of farmland and sustainable land management, contributing to food security efforts in Oyo State.
Olaleye stressed that YERP builds on existing programmes aimed at making agriculture attractive to youths as a business, not just as subsistence.
He urged young people to embrace opportunities across the agricultural value chain, from production and processing to logistics, digital agriculture, and marketing.
ICMPD’s Pan-Africa Portfolio Manager, Marcello Giordani, described Nigeria as ICMPD’s most important African partner and praised the state’s commitment to the partnership.
He expressed hope that YERP will become a model for empowering young people through agriculture and fostering positive change.
The project agreement signing was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and representatives from ICMPD, marking a significant step toward youth empowerment and sustainable economic growth in Oyo State.
