WORK | LEARN | EARN

Enterprise for Youth in Agriculture

Through our partnership with Mastercard Foundation, we’re proud to be part of the solution to youth unemployment in Africa.

More Details

Mandate Vegetables

Mandate Vegetables

Our focus vegetables include;

Project Location

ogun-and-lagos-states-map-hd

Soilless Farm Lab, Kurere, Awowo, Ewekoro LGA, Ogun state.

Expected Project Output

Total impact by numbers after three years.

144
Acres
Farming Area Covered
240
Farm
Cooperative Groups
12000
Graduate
Youth Farmers
31200
Agri-Jobs
Directly Created
45000
Youths
Skilled in hydroponics

Eligibility Criteria

Applications are for those who at the time of application are between the ages of 18 years and 29 years for males and 18 years and 35 years for females. Those who are outside this age range will not be considered for admission

Olericulture is the process of growing vegetables – this could be leaf or fruit-bearing vegetables. You must have a genuine interest in growing vegetables and working with vegetables.

The physical training on the farm is for 12 weeks (3 months) and this training cannot be done online or virtually. As an applicant, you must be able to commit fully to being on the farm for 12 weeks and participating in all the activities on the farm.

As an applicant, you must be someone who has the mental capacity to work on the farm and to work with others. The training allows for those who live with a disability, we, however, need it written in the provided space during the application, so we are able to adequately prepare for you. You must be someone who has developed the ability to work with others, as we are focused on building a team and not individual heroes.

You must be willing to relocate to Kurere village, Awowo, Ewekoro LGA, Ogun state. This is physical training, and it cannot be attended by proxy, so as an applicant you must be willing to live within the farm during the training. In addition, at the end of the training, participants get to have 3 plots of hydroponics farms to manage as a cluster, therefore everyone must be willing to continue to live within the farm environment so they can continue to manage their farms.

The program is not open to anyone who has a criminal record, for anyone who applies, and we find out that those who have a criminal record will be expelled immediately from the partnership.

Benefits to You

training1

Fully Sponsored Training

You get to learn about the Olericulture value chain and soilless farming for free. This is a well-structured hands-on training to help you co-own and co-manage a soilless farm as part of a group.
setup

Free Farm Setup Kits

A cluster (group of 50 students) Will work on 3 plots of hydroponics farm set up for them, with access to logistics and a storage facility on the farm. Each cluster will be registered as a company.
offtakers

Access to Offtakers

You will get connected to off-takers to buy off the produce at the beginning of the project until you are able to generate your own leads. You get to practice all the marketing skills you were taught.
mentorship1

Post Training + Mentorship

Activities include presentation (action plan of training), Performance try-out, and follow-up. You demonstrate and illustrate each step of a task. You will repeat tasks multiple times so that your mistakes are corrected.

Our Training Process

Learn how to get paid doing what you love.

3 Steps to Work, Learn and Earn

Pre-Hub
  1. Application and Selection:
    The application portal has a 3-minute video that explains what the project is about, and an assessment based on what the project is about. This is to ensure the students understand what the project entails and is willing to follow through the process.
  2. Interview preparation:
    On the successful completion of your application form, you will get a link to watch a short introductory video on soilless farming (hydroponics) technology. The video also teaches you how to setup a hydroponics system for your home use.

Start Application

Hub
  1. Hand-on training:
    This covers the 12 weeks of the training – ranging from farm setup, planting and management. It also covers other non-farm skills to be acquired by the applicants.
  2. Cooperative group formation and ecommerce set-up:
    The applicants are grouped into 50s, companies are setup based on these groups, in addition there is a cooperative for every batch.

Start Application

Post-hub

Mentorship:
We monitor the farms as consultants, as well as other activities of the company to ensure for the next 2 years post-hub they thrive and turnover profits.

Start Application

Implementing Partners