ECOWAS has allocated $2.24 million to 10 agricultural research centers and five agroecology and organic production centers in the region. The grants, announced on February 25, 2025, in Porto Novo, Benin, will fund training for 3,850 young people, 40% of whom are women, to improve employment prospects in agriculture.
Mrs. Massandjé Touré-Litsé, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, presented the cheques on behalf of ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray. The announcement was made during a workshop at the Songhai Centre in Porto Novo, where grant recipients were briefed on the Regional Strategy for Youth Employment in Agricultural Value Chains. The event also addressed challenges surrounding the professional integration of young people in agriculture, agroforestry, and fisheries.
