Transcript (WELP) for developing entrepreneurship in organic agriculture

The Work, Earn, Learn,
Programme (WELP)
for developing entrepreneurship in organic
agriculture among graduates in Nigeria
Isaac Aiyelaagbe1, Phil Harris2
Elizabeth Trenchard2
1. University of Agriculture PMB 2240 Abeokuta, Nigeria
2. Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
[email protected]
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Graduate unemployment
• Graduate unemployment accounted for 32%
of the unemployed in Nigeria 1992-97
• > 50% of graduates in Nigeria are now
unemployed (or underemployed)
Dabalen et al, 2000
Okonjo-Iweala 2010
• Nigeria now produces > 3,000 agricultural
graduates annually
• 75% of agricultural graduates would rather
not take up agriculture related careers
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Why graduate unemployment?
• Poor response by Universities to changing job
market demands
• Graduates possess skills that the job market
no longer requires (obsolete ?)
• Graduates lack skills that the job market
requires (incompetent?)
• Graduates lack capacity to be innovative
(entrepreneurship?)
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Agriculture
• Contributes 33 – 42% of GDP in Nigeria
• High comparative advantage in agriculture
could be tapped for national development by
engaging unemployed agricultural graduates
• Globalisation offers new opportunities to
optimize the potential
• New emerging markets such as international
trade organic produce could be accessed
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Organic agriculture
• A unique and regulated system of producing
and handling food and fibre
• Exploits the benefits of ecological cycles for
sustainability
• Excludes the use of synthetic agrochemicals
which could be harmful to human health and
the environment now or later
• Promotes ethics in production and trade
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Trade in organic produce
60
$ billion
50
40
30
20
10
0
2001
2002
2004
Year
2007
2008
Fig.1 Value of global trade in organic agriculture
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Barriers to access
• Low local awareness
• Paucity of local skills in production, handling,
certification and trade in organic produce
• Up to 2008, < 6% of faculties of agriculture in
Nigeria featured organic agriculture in their
curricula; conventional agriculture was the
focus
• To access the organic market, the skills gap of
graduates needs to be bridged
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
WELP
• WELP was conceived to bridge skills gap by
developing entrepreneurship in organic
agriculture among graduates in Nigeria
• Work provides hands-on experience,
• Earn income to sustaining participation
• Learn acquire new skills and attitudes to gain
access to market
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Components of WELP
1. 4-week, intensive graduate conversion
course in organic agriculture, including
enterprise skills
2. 3-week internship in the private sector
3. Visits to successful organic businesses
overseas - from production to consumer
4. Mentoring to develop business plans
5. Support for business start up, marketing etc
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Methodology
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WELP advertised
Open access
70 applications received
23 applicants selected
6 partner farmers selected to host interns
Successful candidates informed
Course resumed in March (fully residential)
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Course content and evaluation
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Class room lectures based on draft curriculum
Field demonstration/practice
Interactive sessions
Written quiz
Evaluation report submitted by partner farmers
Proficiency certificate awarded to all successful
candidates
• Travel grants awarded to top 5 trainees to visit
successful organic businesses
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Outputs
• Evaluation of draft curriculum on organic
agriculture in HEIs
• Evaluation of WELP
• Linkages with farmers
• New small scale organic businesses initiated
• Increased public awareness on organic
agriculture
• Increased demand for training
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Trainees’ preferences for post-training
organic enterprise establishment
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Evaluation
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Participation
Written quiz
Evaluation report submitted by partner farmers
Post training evaluation
Proficiency certificate awarded to all successful
candidates
• Travel grants awarded to top 5 trainees to visit
successful organic businesses
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Future outlook
• Follow up WELP graduates
• Reconfigure curriculum of degree programme
in agriculture to include entrepreneurship
• Design post graduate programmes
• Increase number of conversion courses
• Internationalise WELP by reaching out in the
West –African sub region
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011
Acknowledgements
• UK Department of Business,
Innovation and Skills
• British Council
Aiyelaagbe Jan 2011