Nineteen-year-old Adejole Florence has nurtured a deep-rooted passion for agriculture from a young age. Growing up, she was acutely aware of the high rate of youth unemployment, which strengthened her desire to venture into agriculture, as she believed it could have a positive impact on this issue.
Florence attends the University of Ibadan, where she doesn’t just study agriculture—she lives and breathes it. Her passion for growing vegetables is contagious, and she is determined to use her knowledge to strengthen Nigeria’s agribusiness sector.
However, Florence’s journey has not been without challenges. As a female student in a field predominantly occupied by men, Florence faced her fair share of skepticism. Despite this, with unwavering determination and a love for the soil and farming, she has flourished, turning every obstacle into an opportunity to learn and grow.
Agriculture is not just about growing crops; it’s about creating opportunities. It’s about entrepreneurship and job creation. It’s about empowering women and contributing to the growth of our nation.”
Adejole Florence
In 2024, Florence participated in HortiNigeria’s Youth Day event that brought together many farming enthusiasts and agricultural students. Florence’s innovative ideas and commitment to sustainability impressed the judges, winning her a prestigious prize of a weeding machine, potting soil, seed, and seedling trays. The event exposed her to the latest agricultural techniques and trends, especially in the vegetable farming sector, where she sees great potential for profitability.
Florence credits the HortiNigeria program for broadening her horizons and preparing her for the entrepreneurial journey she plans to embark upon. After graduation, she intends to boldly venture into agribusiness.
While the University of Ibadan has several farms, none are dedicated to vegetables, an area she believes holds untapped potential. Florence envisions collaborating with the university to establish a farm that will supply fresh vegetables and also serve as a training ground for other students. This initiative would give students the chance to see firsthand the profitability and sustainability possible with vegetable farming.
Florence believes that agriculture, particularly vegetable farming, is an empowering field for young people, especially women.
“Agriculture is not just about growing crops; it’s about creating opportunities. It’s about entrepreneurship and job creation. It’s about empowering women and contributing to the growth of our nation,” Florence says.
Her dream is to encourage other young women to venture into the field and join her in changing the narrative. With her vision, Florence sees herself not only as a successful entrepreneur but as a mentor who will uplift others in her generation.
The HortiNigeria program (2021-2025), funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, aims to facilitate the development of a sustainable and inclusive horticulture sector that contributes to food and nutrition security in Nigeria. HortiNigeria is led by IFDC and implemented together with KIT, Wageningen University and Research, and East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation.
