GFAR blog

YAP Proposal #247: Free agricultural education for youth (Tosin Adesuyi, Nigeria)

The FAO estimates that there are over 239 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa that are hungry and malnourished. Millions of African youth roam the streets daily in search of jobs. Unemployment is at an all-time high.

All these problems have fueled a rise in crime and terrorism. Most Africans live on under $2 per day, meaning school children go to school hungry and pregnant women sleep in the night with empty stomachs.

Despite all these challenges, the FAO estimates that Africa is home to 55 percent of world’s most fertile and underutilized soil. We are also home to the youngest population in the world. Why, then, are we HUNGRY?

Our youth

Our youth are not engaged in agriculture. Some of them believe that agriculture is only for the poor and old. Some believe it’s a back breaking job and should only be done by people who live in rural communities.

The FAO estimates that the average age of farmers in Africa is 67.  This is the reason why we are hungry.  Youth are not only energetic, they are also innovative. Involving youth in agriculture will be a great way to help over 239 million hungry people in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Africa is set to hit 2 billion people by the year 2050. Involving youth in agriculture is the surest way we can combat food insecurity from now onward.

My idea, the Amazing Agricultural Academy (www.agricacademy.com- website still under construction) is an online school that aims to:

Inspire,

Teach,

Mentor and

Monitor youth in agriculture. FOR FREE.

TosinAdesuyiWe aim to use social media, videos, talks and pictures to inspire youth in agriculture. We will then encourage them to sign up to our website, enroll and study for a specific number of hours. Courses will be sourced from seasoned agriculturists. The participants will study these courses for free from our website online and through their smartphones, laptops, tablets and desktop computers.

After completing the coursework, students then get assessed and are awarded a diploma and certificates. We then connect students to mentors. Mentors will be drawn from a pool of already registered and experienced farmers. These farmers will have passed a verification procedure.

Amazing Agricultural Academy will also perform functions such as monitoring youth already involved in  agriculture, highlighting success stories, correcting mistakes, sharing the latest proven innovations and connecting  young farmers to the latest agricultural information.

Examples of courses we intend to offer:

  • Certificate in bee farming
  • Certificate in goat farming
  • Certificate in maize farming
  • Diploma in vertical farming
  • Diploma in hydroponics
  • Diploma in animal health and wellness, etc.

I aim to start up this business on or before July 2016. So far, I am already developing the website needed for this service. I am hoping to complete it on or before the end of March, 2016. I am also going to develop the mobile application on or before the end of April, 2016.

I aim to have sourced material for the courses we will be starting off with on or before June 10, 2016. Before July 2016, I aim to have graduated and mentored 300,000 youths. Within 3 years of starting up, I aim to have the website already transcribed into 2 additional languages, namely, French and Portuguese.  Within 4 years of starting up, the aim is to have taught and mentored 4 million youth in agriculture.

Should we achieve our aim, we will be reducing food insecurity and unemployment greatly. For example, if every member of our proposed 4 million student target could own a farm that can feed 20 people and employ 2 additional people, we would be reducing unemployment by over 8 million (4 million*3-including the agripreneur) and they will be providing food to 160 million (20*4 million) people.

This goal is possible. Because we are offering our services online, we are capable of reaching out to more people on a limited budget.

Revenue

We aim to generate revenue through sale of certificates and advertisements placed on our websites.

Budget

Below is my budget estimate for 8 months:

Logistics-$300
Data plan/internet services-$500
Mobile app development-$500
Office space and equipment-$2000
Online adverts-$400
Cost of course materials/tutors-$3500
Salary-$1000
Contingency/bank charges $300
Total $8000

We aim to source $3000 from families and friends.

Adesuyi Tosin Emmanuel is a 21-year-old Nigerian who successfully started an entrepreneurship group in his university.  He sees youth involvement in agriculture as the best way to address Africans’ food insecurity and unemployment. He is currently a 400-level zoology student with two diploma certificates from an online school.

Tosin has a diploma in business management and entrepreneurship and a diploma in project management, both from www.alison.com

Tosin has been mentored by Dr. Adebowale onatolu ‘’debo’’, Professor at Forbes School of Business at Ashford University (Bridgepoint Education), and Miss Amber Wright, a business owner with a wealth of experience. Both have expressed interest in this project and are committing time and effort to bring this project to reality.

Amazing Agricultural Academy is poised to be the first online agricultural school in Africa. We will also be providing our courses for free.  I am committed to making Africa hunger and unemployment free.

Blogpost and picture submitted by Tosin Adesuyi (Nigeria) – adesuyitosin2014[at]gmail.com

The content, structure and grammar is at the discretion of the author only.


This post is published as proposal #247 of “YAP” – our “Youth Agripreneur Project”.

The first selection of the winners will be based on the number of comments, likes and views each proposal gets.

As a reader, you can support this speaker’s entry:

  • Leave a comment (question, suggestion,..) on this project in the comment field at the bottom of this page
  • Support the post by clicking the “Like” button below (only possible for those with a WordPress.com account)
  • Spread this post via your social media channels, using the hashtag: #GCARD3

 

Have a look at the other “YAP” proposals too!
As a donor, support young agripreneurs and sponsor this unique project. Check out the side column for our current sponsors.
“YAP” is part of the #GCARD3 process, the third Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development.

485 thoughts on “YAP Proposal #247: Free agricultural education for youth (Tosin Adesuyi, Nigeria)”

  1. Hi. I will be answering your questions on this project. Pls don’t just like/comment. Share

    1. i am working with my mentors, to see that we make judicious use of the money. we are also going to leverage the social media, this will help us reduce cost and reach out to more people. thanks for the vote

    1. we will make good use of the money, we will work with mentors who will guide us in making good use of the money, $5k will do something

  2. Hi Tosin, your proposal is good but do you think your budget is commensurable with plan you state above?

    1. yes sir, we believe $8k will go a long way in helping us achieve our goal. we are going to work with experts/mentors. they promised to guide us in starting this venture, $8k is really enough

    1. thanks dorcas, i have really miss you. pls share with your friends, africa can be hunger free.

    1. yes oooh, it is really bad, but africa can be hunger free, please share with your friends

  3. I think I am really impress with your idea. The only way we can reduce food insecurity is to involve people in agriculture

    1. yes midee, thanks for your comment, tell your friends about this, tell them agric pays, africa can be hunger free

    1. thanks for your concern samuel, however, we feel that $8k will go a long way in helping us fulfill our dreams, my mentors also believe that it is possible, we appreciate your concern, we will do all we can to make judicious use of the capital

  4. This is a great idea from a young man of your age,it is a step in the right direction and first of its kind in Nigeria,more grease to your elbow.

    1. thanks soooo much olawale, we believe that africa can be hunger free, pls share, tell them #AGRIC PAYS

    1. yes tobi, i spent about 7 months learning fishing, but i will like to tell you that this project will soon kickstart, you can learn it then.

    1. dont worry, for now, share, tell them AFRICA CAN BE HUNGER FREE, #AGRICpays we will inform the general public when we kickstart.

  5. this is a very noble idea, i will like to know how you intend to source for course work

    1. we intend to ,meet with top instituitions such as FAO, iita etc. we intend to also talk to agric lecturers/farmers.me and my mentors are really working on it.

  6. i think this is an african solution to an african problem, keep the light burning. i just think that $5000 will not be enough

    1. $5 is not our budget, it is $8k , we however appreciate your concern, i am working with my mentors on this, they believe $8k will do the job, i also believe $8k will do it, we are just concern about making africa hunger free. we will leverage every possible oppotunity that will enable us achieve this aim. thanks, share, africa can be hunger free.

  7. When you asked me to read and comment on your work, I thought it something small, and negligible but thank god, I read

    1. THANKS. we hope the judges will be able to see it from your own view. this idea can make africa hunger free. pls share

  8. i think you will need to put in hard work for you to be able to hit 4 million students in 4 years

    1. YESS BEN, but it is possible, we know and believe it is possible, share and tell them, AFRICA CAN BE HUNGER FREE

  9. tosin i will like to tell you that i am impresseded with this idea, keep it on, africa can be hunger free

    1. YESS OOH. we dont need foreign aid when we can produce our own food. tell them #agric pays

    1. my brother, africa can be hunger free. my mentors believe it is possible, i also believe so.

  10. i wish to be involve in this project, i am a graphic designer, will like to walk with youth on this you have my vote

    1. thanks ruth. we appreciate your kind gesture, but for now, share, tell them AFRICA CAN BE HUNGER FREE

  11. this is not going to be easy, but we know that you can do it, we beleive in you, when will the website be available

    1. sikiru, we beias soon as it is available, you all willl be alerted, we will notify the genaral public, but for now,go out and tell them AFRICA CAN BE HUNGER FREE

  12. tosin, i will say thank you for putting us first, i have always wanted to be involve with agriculture, but no one will teach me. thanks thou, this is my vote

    1. THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR VOTE, AS SOON AS THIS PROJECT KICKS OFF, THE GENRAL PUBLIC WILL BE NOTIFIED

    1. I work with my mentors, we are also not overulling working with patners on this project, we just want to make africa hunger free.

    1. chidi, it will surely come to pass, just pass on the message. AFRICA CAN BE HUNGER FREE.

  13. i think that this idea is idea to nigeria especially but how do you intend to reach out to your customers

    1. WE intend to make use of the social media, i dont need to remind you it penetrating power, do i. just share the message AFRICA CAN BE HUNGER FREE

    1. YESS KEN, WE WILL MAKE JUDICIOUS USE OF ITY, I AM WORKING WITH MY MENTORS, THEY ARE ACCOMPLISHED BUSINESS OWNERS

    1. we intend to talk to relevant authoritties/institutions e.g FAO IITA etc. we wil also contact agric lecturers

  14. I will tell my friends to expert this project knocking there door step soon, this is not just a plan. It is a good plan.

  15. adesuyi is one person that i know that wants to bring youths in agriculture. he has never hidden that fact.

  16. tosin you are nuts ooh, so you are now officially launching this program july, i thought it will be launched december

  17. i think this idea is a noble one, but do you have the required management experience to fufill it

  18. you are going places. we hope to see you start this project. what will you have me doooo. i want to help make africa hunger free

  19. i will like to see you win this project. we believe that africa has what iyt takes to feed its popuplation, lets MAKE IT HUNGER FREE

  20. lets do this, lets take africa beyond hunger and food insecurity. lets make africa hunger free.
    how do you intend, to manage it yourself

  21. this is really a dream come true, i want to work with you man.. when will it kick start

  22. i want to have a short nap when i came here, now my eyes are wide open and i am left with so many questions like..how can i join in the partnership,pls lets talk privately…MY VOTE

  23. a friend actually told me about this and what i am seeing here is wao..how can we work together pls

  24. came here to see how far and i met you ADESUYI really love your work,i will mail you privately

  25. i am very sure UNIOSUN and our department will be very proud of you, i am glad to be your course mate

  26. bolu, your friend told me about this and i cant believe what i am seeing here..more than my expectation..but in Africa how..i mean can it be possible…GOOD LUCK anyway

  27. i am not surprised and i can say that the Tosin i know will make judicious use of the money,he is a firm n wise decision maker…MY VOTE

  28. you must win this..you are just the perfect match..i mean solution to our hunger problem in africa…we will chat privately for my questions…..

  29. you are more like a brother to me…since you told me about this project and this vote i have been eager and spreading the news about..i vouch for you bro,you are d man

  30. a friend told me about this..really its a great work..but that amount and all you have listed here,i bet indeed you a genius

  31. this is unbelievable for a man of your age and environ but i have a strong feeling your the m,an

  32. when you told me in class i was actually thinking it is a minor issue..buh yea you have gotten the answer

  33. you are right here beside me..i will definitely try and make closer relationship with you i can see you getting to the top…you know what lets talk about that the site workers and partnership

  34. when you finally start please tell me, i will send you a private mail, i wish we can work together, i believe in this idea

  35. i love you, this is great, i think you are going places, i will like to get involve, africa must be hunger free

  36. we will keep supporting you over and over agaain. this is the only way we can help africa

  37. plsease if you care about africa and about 239 million hungry people, then support this project. it is the only thing you can do

  38. africa must be hunger free, we will pass tyhe message. we believe this message, it is our new motto

  39. we will not just give you our votes, i will give you my money, africa must be hunger free

  40. i will continue to support you as you continue your support and aggitation for youths in agriculture, here is my vote

  41. this is great and wonderfull, i think u are gong places with your ideas, where can i get mentors like you

  42. i will tell my friends, that i have a friend than can reduce the rate of unemployment in africa, we will gartther up to be your first students

  43. i know you are serious and will make this thing possible, we are folding our hands, africa must be hunger free

  44. WOW. THIS IS GREAT OOH. HUST START THE PROJECT THIS MONTH NOW. WE CANT WAIT. AFRCA MUST BE HUNGER FREE. WE ARE GOING TO SUPORT THIS PROJECT. MY FRIENDS WILL ALL SIGN UP AS SOON QAS YOU ARE THROUGH

  45. Africa must be hunger free. we know it, we are supporting it, it just must be hunger free. lets do this

  46. i think you rock. we will suport you. this is my vote. i cant wait to sign up. this is what we have been waiting for

  47. i know you will endup doing this idea. when you came to my class to explain the idea to us, i was woow, this is incredible

  48. i pray this goes far, it wil not just solve food insecurity but unemployment in the long run

  49. i know how you feel about the hunger problem in our continent. and am happy you want to tackle it

  50. you have a really bright mind, i have benefitted from your entreprenuership class before. i cant wait for this one

  51. tosin, you have not been able to explain very well how you intend to source for these course

  52. o boy..you are pressing on to higher grounds o…where is the location for the intended sites,i would love to join hands with you

  53. i call u boo cause you just keep bursting every problem..keeping smiles on peoples face is your job and you are at it again..kindly post the school site here so i can register asap

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