AgriFood Youth Opportunity Lab Launched in Nigeria
The MasterCard Foundation is partnering with Michigan State University (MSU) for the AgriFood Youth Opportunity Lab, a five-year, $13 million collaboration.
This partnership will support 15,000 young people aged 18 to 24 in major bread basket food shed regions surrounding Lagos and Dar es Salaam to access employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. AgriFood Youth Opportunity Lab will encourage youth to participate in the fast-growing horticulture, aquaculture, poultry, cassava and oilseed sectors in Nigeria and Tanzania. The partnership will also assist economically disadvantaged, hard-to-reach out-of-school youth as they transition into employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the agrifood system.
The MasterCard Foundation and Michigan State University recently launched this initiative at the AgriFood Youth Opportunity Lab Private and Public Sector event in Lagos,Nigeria.
“Working with The MasterCard Foundation and African partners to address one of the most critical problems facing the continent — youth unemployment — reflects how we pursue MSU’s global vision,” said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon. “We see great potential to expand youth agrifood employment both on and off the farm.”
