In 2022, behind a hostel at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), rows of vegetables sprouting in bags began to draw curious glances. For most, it looked like a hobby. For Samuel Oyediran, it was survival. Determined to pay his way through school, Samuel turned a small corner of bare ground into his first farm and sold what he harvested.
Samuel’s vegetables quickly became popular among students. On market days, word spread fast, and his produce often sold out within hours. But Samuel was not content to rely on chance or word of mouth. He joined WhatsApp groups and student networks to announce harvest times and prices, creating a buzz and building a loyal customer base. What began as a small hostel garden transformed into a real business.
“Though I started farming just to survive, I am now equipped to live well while feeding people with nutritious foods.”
Samuel Oyediran
In 2023, Samuel connected with the HortiNigeria program through its hub at FUNAAB, where he met Seyi Awolola, a HortiNigeria coach and the Chief Executive Officer of OLED Farms. With guidance on production, finance, and market entry, Samuel began to sharpen his agribusiness skills. It was more than just training; it was the moment that changed the direction of his journey.
“Through the hands-on training, improved production practices, and wider network opportunities we gained, our team has been able to transform knowledge into action,” Samuel explained.
Together with his peers, Samuel helped set up demonstration farms, where learning moved beyond the classroom into the field. There, participants could observe and implement good agricultural practices. Over time, Samuel and his team trained more than 2,000 young people across Southwest Nigeria.
One of the biggest changes came from irrigation support from HortiNigeria. It enabled Samuel to scale from a small backyard setup into a tech-driven demonstration farm. With this, he moved into larger-scale production, cultivating cucumber, habanero pepper, tomato, sweet corn, and okra.
After graduating from FUNAAB in 2024, Samuel fully embraced agripreneurship. With his level of earnings, he no longer worries about basic expenses. Samuel is supported by structured market linkages with organizations such as Pricepally, a digital platform that connects farmers directly to urban consumers.
“Though I started farming just to survive, I am now equipped to live well while feeding people with nutritious foods,” Samuel stated.
Samuel’s growth is not only measured in his revenue but in the lives he continues to influence. Like Samuel, thousands of young people in Nigeria now see agriculture as a real opportunity.
HortiNigeria (2021-2025) is implemented through a consortium led by IFDC that includes East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer (EWS-KT), Wageningen University and Research (WUR), and KIT Royal Tropical Institute and is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria.
