Organisations Launch Livelihood Project For Kwara Women, Youths

Two organisations, Olam Agri and the Sustainable Collective Advocacy for Africa Development, have launched a livelihood initiative to help women and youth farmers withstand economic hardship during off-farm seasons in Kwara State.

The Community Resilience Opportunities for Women and Youth Project, also known as CROWY SOY, is designed to equip beneficiaries with practical skills, entrepreneurship training and other support to increase their incomes and build sustainable livelihoods.

The initiative builds on the first phase of the project, which supported 100 vulnerable women and youth in Nasarawa and Benue states between December 2025 and March 2026.

The beneficiaries were trained in six market-relevant trades—soap making, hairdressing, shoemaking, carpentry, tailoring and welding.

They also received trade-specific starter kits and training in business management, financial literacy and savings to enable them to start earning from their skills.

At the launch, the country head of Olam Agri in Nigeria, Anil Nair, said targeted support and partnerships could help vulnerable groups achieve economic independence.

He said, “The success and impact of this project shows that through targeted support and partnership, women and youth are able to develop foundational skills that enable them to earn a living, gain economic independence and improve their livelihoods.”

Nair said the partners were extending the initiative to Kwara State to provide practical support for more women and young people.

He said the programme would help beneficiaries develop new skills, increase their incomes and improve their livelihoods.

The Executive Director of SCAAD Initiative, Frances Okeke, said many women and young people possessed creativity and resilience but lacked the support required to thrive.

She said, “Nigeria’s overlapping crises have made survival even harder, especially in farming communities where off-season periods often deepen economic vulnerability.”

Okeke said the CROWY SOY Project was designed to address the gap by providing practical skills and livelihood opportunities for women and youth at the grassroots level.

“With support from Olam Agri, the CROWY SOY Project is stepping into this gap, offering practical skills, livelihood opportunities, and hope to grassroots women and youth,” she said.

She added, “Together, we are equipping individuals not only to earn a living during non-farming seasons, but also to lead, innovate, and uplift their communities.”

According to her, empowering women and young people would have a wider impact on their communities.

“When women and young people are given the tools to succeed, entire communities become more resilient and rise with them,” she said.

The project will also provide training in strategic leadership, entrepreneurship and inclusive economic participation.