A communiqué issued at the official launching of the Agro Impact Projects Empowerment Initiative held at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan on 24^th November 2017

1. Nigeria is the 7^th most populous nation with a large number of young, growing and vibrant population. It is also Africa’s largest market. Agro Impact Project Empowerment Initiative is borne out of the urgent need to transform the lives of women and youth so as to positively impact the Nigerian society.
2. It is essential that agriculture oriented initiatives such as the Agro Impact Projects Empowerment Initiative be encouraged so as to ensure the socio-economic emancipation of women and youth. Government (federal, state and local) aids, private partnership and sponsorship of such initiatives as this are efforts geared towards poverty eradication, creation of gainful employment particularly among women and youths, and the ultimate increase in the GDP of the nation.
3. Glamour must be brought into farming to make it an attractive, interesting and profitable venture, particularly to the youths. Efforts such as the agro-based initiative of the University of Ibadan Women’s Society (UIWS) should be encouraged nationwide especially as agriculture can no longer be considered in terms of subsistence farming, but rather as Agro-Business affecting people and the economy in its value chain system.
4. Aquaculture should be given adequate prominence in various agriculture based initiatives in the nation. Also, livestock farming should be encouraged among the women.
5. Beneficial nutrition objectives should be incorporated in every agriculture based initiative as food processing which makes the agricultural product useable to all and sundry.
6. The provision of bank loans, farming and processing machinery, transportation and marketing systems serve as incentives to boost agricultural projects and initiatives.