Director General for IITA, Nteranya Sanginga, told MBC Online that the program aims to create employment as “millions of African youth graduates are struggling with unemployment.”

“The only way to stop this trend is to ensure that research is used to make agri-prenuership viable and stop exporting jobs to other continents.

“When we send raw agriculture produce to other continents it means our jobs are being exported to those countries. We need to change the narrative,” Sanginga said.

The IITA-CARE training is sponsored by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad) and aims to strengthen the capacity of youth across Africa to engage in farm and non-farm activities in rural areas in order to develop Africa's economy.

About 30 African youths being recruited into the program this hones entreprenuership skills of the youth.

The Malawian scholars in the program are:

.Dingase Mkandawire, in her final year of Masters degree at Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania. She is researching on – Determinants of urban and peri-urban youth employment in agribusiness in Malawi.

. Edward Masoambeta, a final year student in a Masters degree programme at Chancellor College. He is researching on – Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP) impact on youth employment in Malawi.

.Aubrey Jolex, another Chanco Masters student and he is researching on – the effects of ICT use on income of young agri-prenuers in Malawi.

After the training at IITA and visiting young Nigerian agri-preneurs, Mkandawire said: “The exposure on the international forum was an eye opener and it has motivated us to do even more in agri-prenuership.”