President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially relaunched the “Grow What You Eat” school farming programme as part of his administration’s broader strategy to modernize agriculture, address youth unemployment, and ensure food security across Nigeria.
The initiative, flagged off at a pilot event in Abuja, reintegrates practical agricultural education into senior secondary schools. A collaborative effort between the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), the programme encourages students to cultivate the food they eat, fostering both self-reliance and innovation in the classroom.
Under this scheme, 20 pilot schools selected from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory each received ₦300,000 in startup funding. In addition, the NSSEC is providing implementation guidelines, training, monitoring systems, and technical support to ensure effective execution.
The “Grow What You Eat” initiative is part of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which includes the wider Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme. Through this, over 2,000 tractors and thousands of agricultural tools have been deployed to enhance farming practices, especially among the youth. Tinubu has emphasized that his goal is to make agriculture not only profitable but appealing, stating, “We are making farming more sexy to youths.”
Speaking at the launch, officials highlighted that the initiative will cultivate a new generation of skilled agricultural practitioners, instill dignity in labor, and reduce the nation’s reliance on food imports. It aligns with Tinubu’s vision of transforming both the education and agriculture sectors through innovation and opportunity.
With this relaunch, President Tinubu is reinforcing his administration’s commitment to grassroots development, food sovereignty, and youth empowerment through strategic investment in practical education.
