This archive report was first published on 9 May 2021.
May 9, 2021, marked a turning point for Ayotomiwa Yinka Ogunsua, a 29-year-old Nigerian who had just graduated from university and landed a job as a loan officer at a microfinance bank in Ibadan, Nigeria.
However, Ogunsua's interest in farming as a hobby led him to sign up for an online advertisement for a youth agricultural training program, which he promptly quit his bank job for.
“I knew I wanted to follow my passion for agriculture full-time,” Ogunsua said.
Selected for the poultry rearing course, organized by the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation program (TAAT), a program of the African Development Bank and partners including the CGIAR, Ogunsua bought 50 chicks and started a business.
Dr. Martin Fregene, the African Development Bank’s Director for Agriculture and Agro-Industry, said TAAT has the resources, scientific and technological expertise, as well as proven implementation plans to benefit millions of African farmers like Ogunsua.
“As the continent’s leaders gather for the High-level Dialogue on Feeding Africa at the end of the month, Ogunsua’s experience serves as an inspiration for governments to commit to investing in Africa’s food systems,” Fregene added.
Today, Ogunsua's poultry business, Atops Farms, has grown to include 500 birds, and he makes more money from agribusiness than he did working as a loan officer.
As head of Atops Farms, Ogunsua does his part to advocate for Nigeria’s agriculture sector, appearing regularly on radio and television programs, and working to change society’s perception of farming as a pastime.
