Can transforming small-scale farming prevent the rise of insurgent groups?
In short: In West Africa, a dangerous cycle is unfolding: rapid youth population growth is outstripping job creation, leaving many young people vulnerable to recruitment by violent groups. But a new agricultural model suggests that the path to regional stability might be found in the soil of Northern Nigeria.
The economic landscape in West Africa is currently facing a destabilizing downward spiral. As job growth fails to keep pace with a rapidly maturing youth population, financial insecurity is rising. This vacuum of opportunity creates a significant risk, as unemployed youth may be recruited to conduct violent acts, a trend that threatens local economies, increases migration, and potentially impacts the stability of Europe.
To disrupt this cycle of poverty and violence, the social enterprise Babban Gona is implementing a technology-driven approach in Northern Nigeria. The goal is to transform at-risk rural youth into successful agricultural entrepreneurs. By focusing on making farming significantly more profitable, the program aims to create dignified, fulfilling work that stimulates local economies and fosters prosperous communities.
The mechanism for this change relies on helping smallholder members achieve double the profitability of the average Nigerian farmer. Babban Gona achieves this by improving crop yields per hectare, reducing production costs, and increasing the unit price at market. This strategy has already seen measurable impact, having cumulatively supported over 200,000 smallholders and created more than 350,000 jobs to date.
The initiative was co-founded by Kola Masha, an entrepreneur with a background in large-scale agricultural strategy and corporate finance. Masha previously led commercial efforts for the Notore Group, where he managed the sale of one million tons of fertilizer and raised $130 million in equity. His work with Babban Gona represents a shift toward using profit-driven social enterprise to address deep-seated security and economic challenges.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Kola Masha: How farming could employ Africa's young workforce -- and help build peace
- Also: How farming can employ Africa's young workforce and help build peace: Lessons from Babban Gona
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