Awka, Nigeria — An agripreneur, Mr Chima Christian, has called on Nigerian youths and students to embrace tree planting and agribusiness as strategic pathways to climate action, wealth creation and sustainable development.
Christian, the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Teva Foods, made the call on Wednesday during the flag-off of the 2026 Tree Planting Campaign at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka. The event was organised to commemorate the 2026 International Cooperative Day.
The campaign, organised by the Centre for Agripreneurship and Cooperative Research/Practice (CACORP), NAU, in collaboration with Teva Foods, was themed “Planting Trees for Posterity, Climate Action and Prosperity.”
Speaking at the event, Christian emphasised that deliberate tree planting could unlock significant environmental and economic benefits for Nigeria, noting that although the country has an estimated 10.9 billion trees, most were not intentionally cultivated.
He stressed that tree planting plays a vital role in climate regulation, carbon sequestration and environmental sustainability, but lamented that Nigeria has yet to fully harness the economic value of its tree resources.
Christian also highlighted post-harvest losses in the agricultural sector, revealing that Nigeria loses between 40 and 60 per cent of its fruit production annually due to poor preservation and processing systems.
He urged young Nigerians to explore opportunities in fruit preservation and value addition, noting that processed products such as dried fruits could be sold during off-seasons and exported to international markets.
“As students and young Nigerians, you should look into fruit preservation and processing for economic sustainability and wealth creation. There are huge opportunities in value addition and export,” he said.
The agripreneur further encouraged youths to leverage cooperative systems and partnerships to venture into commercial agriculture, adding that over 50 million hectares of arable land remain underutilised in Nigeria.
He advised young people to collaborate with host communities that have fallow lands for tree cultivation while ensuring mutual economic benefits.
Also speaking, the Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Ben Odoemena, described tree planting as a critical component of climate action and sustainable agribusiness.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Chinyere Nwabachili, Odoemena noted that tree planting contributes to erosion control, soil fertility improvement, wind protection and biodiversity conservation.
He, however, stressed the importance of viewing tree planting as an economic venture capable of generating income and improving livelihoods.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of NAU, Prof. Bond Anyaehie, commended Teva Foods for supporting agricultural development and empowering students with practical skills.
Represented by Prof. Steven Ufoaroh, the Vice-Chancellor urged students to take advantage of agribusiness opportunities, noting the limited availability of formal employment.
“There are limited employment opportunities today. Acquire these skills and knowledge because they will help you survive and succeed in today’s Nigeria,” he said.
Earlier, the Director of CACORP, Dr Nma Okoroji, described cooperatives as vital drivers of innovation and development in agriculture.
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She said tree planting remains both a moral obligation and an environmental necessity, adding that climate action is critical to restoring the ecosystem and securing future prosperity.
The event featured a symbolic tree-planting exercise, donation of grape and apple seedlings by Teva Foods, and practical demonstrations on apple cultivation.
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