The Foundation for Sustainable Smallholder Solutions (FSSS) has launched the Global Agri Entrepreneurship Academy (GAEA) to equip young people with practical skills, mentorship, networks and industry knowledge needed to develop sustainable agricultural ventures.
The academy was unveiled as part of activities marking the 2026 International Youth Day, with FSSS describing the initiative as a platform for helping young people turn innovative ideas into practical solutions to challenges across the agricultural value chain.
Speaking at a seminar, the FSSS Brand and Communications Manager, Clinton Inene, said GAEA would provide expert-led training, mentorship, industry insights, practical resources and networking opportunities for young agricultural entrepreneurs.
He described the academy as more than a learning platform, saying it would serve as a launchpad for the next generation of agricultural innovators, entrepreneurs and changemakers.
The Executive Director of FSSS, Isaiah Gabriel, said the initiative reflected the foundation’s commitment to empowering young people to drive innovation across Africa’s food systems.
Gabriel also disclosed that the organisation’s GroundBreakers initiative was established to stimulate conversations, inspire action and connect young people with opportunities in the future of food.
Speaking on the role of innovation in agriculture, the CEO of Grabb Livestock, Aisha Sidi, urged young entrepreneurs to focus on solving real problems rather than developing technology for its own sake.
She cited Grabb Livestock’s transition from a web-based platform to a USSD system after the company discovered that many rural farmers lacked the digital literacy required to use its original platform.
According to her, the shift helped the company expand its reach from about 2,000 farmers to more than 50,000.
Similarly, the CEO, CTO and Co-founder of Agrofount, Dayo Akinbami, urged young innovators to use technology to address specific agricultural challenges, particularly in farmer data management.
He stressed that Nigeria needed young people who understood agricultural challenges deeply enough to develop technology-driven solutions that addressed real needs.
Another speaker, Alabi, identified agricultural extension as a major area requiring innovation, noting that the number of extension officers available was insufficient to serve Nigeria’s millions of farmers.
He encouraged young entrepreneurs to explore digital solutions for delivering extension services, while identifying access to finance, market opportunities, logistics and farmer data management as other areas with significant potential.
The launch of GAEA underscores the growing emphasis on youth participation, entrepreneurship and technology as key drivers of innovation and sustainable development across Africa’s agricultural sector.
