Being a student agripreneur means learning to juggle lecture halls with planting beds. In 2024, I found myself waking at dawn to tend nutrient solutions and checking textbooks by moonlight. I still picture the day I stood in a sudden downpour, water cascading over me while I adjusted drip lines wet, shivering, but determined. That moment captured the tension of my dual life as both an agricultural trainee and a university student.
Mastercard Foundation Plants The Seed
My journey began at the Soilless Farmlab Ogun state Nigeria, under the MasterCard Foundation’s Enterprise for Youth in Agriculture program. There, I built my first hydroponic channel, mastering pH balancing, EC monitoring, and nutrient formulations. I learned that plants fed through water demand precision , every change in solute concentration could spell the difference between lush growth and stunting.
A breakthrough came when I diagnosed and corrected a micro-nutrient deficiency in tomato seedlings, a simple tweak of chelated iron saved the crop from yellowing leaves. That hands‑on success lit the spark of confidence I needed to envision the future.
Leadership Is Learning
Next, I joined CSS Farms under the International Skills Acquisition Centre. As one of the cohort’s top four graduates, I tackled everything from aquaponics tank maintenance to integrated pest‑management trials. Professors like John Kennedy Opara and Ifeoma Unachukwu taught me that excellence is not just about technical skill, but also about character. They challenged me to lead morning exercises, mentor less experienced trainees, and present research findings on drip‑irrigation efficiency. These responsibilities sharpened my sense of ownership and accountability traits that would prove invaluable when I started Neso Farms.
Starting Neso Farms
“Neso” comes from the Greek for “island,” symbolizing resilience, determination, and dedication. My “aha” moment arrived during a dorm‑room debate, many classmates believed their only path after graduation was to apply for white‑collar jobs. I argued that agriculture offered both purpose and profit, especially if we could tap modern agritech practices.
With encouragement from friends Fawaz Shittu, Yanshi Ezra, Desmond Ojochonuu, and Harrison Unekwu‑Ojoo and design support from Adegbiji Babatunde, I sketched a business plan that married soilless and open‑field systems. My vision was a farm that not only produced high‑quality greens and tomatoes year‑round, but also employed youth and women from our community.
Learning Hurtles
Launching Neso Farms tested every lesson I had learned over the years which includes:
- Climate Vulnerability: A delayed planting season coincided with an unexpected dry spell. Lacking alternative water sources, we lost almost 40% of our early tomato crop.
- Misplaced Trust: I once contracted a local supplier for hydroponic tubing who failed to deliver on time, forcing us to retrofit sub-optimal pipes. This taught me to vet partners by character, not just promises.
- Financial Constraints: Seed capital ran thin as we scaled. Market prices for lettuce dipped, undermining our revenue forecasts. I faced sleepless nights wondering how to cover next month’s nutrient orders.
- Mental Load: Between academic deadlines and farm emergencies, decision fatigue set in. Self‑doubt crept in—was I risking too much for unproven returns?
Yet these trials honed my resilience. I learned to build financial buffers, secure emergency water storage, and streamline decision‑making by prioritizing tasks that directly impacted yields.
Success Milestones
Despite the hurdles, small victories fueled our momentum:
- First Sales: A partnership with a local restaurant chain bought our first batch of leafy greens, validating our soilless system.
- Community Impact: By hiring two recent graduates as greenhouse technicians, we provided employment where few options existed.
- Peer Inspiration: What began as a lone voice inspiring classmates exploded into action—over 75% of my peers enrolled in agritech training, and many now call themselves farmers.
- Strategic Support: Grants and mentor-ship from VC4A, the MasterCard Foundation Fund for Resilience and Prosperity, AGRA, the Tony Elumelu Foundation, and others provided technical assistance and exposure to broader networks.
These milestones reaffirmed that agripreneurship can be both socially impactful and economically viable.
Lessons Learned And Advice for Aspiring Student Agripreneurs
- Start Small: “Omnium rerum principia parva sunt”—the beginning of all things is small. You don’t need acres to begin; a tabletop hydroponic channel or a single vertical tower can teach more than any textbook.
- Vet by Character: Technical expertise is vital, but in true partnership, integrity is non‑negotiable. Choose collaborators you trust to share both vision and values.
- Build Mental Resilience: Farming will test you—rain or drought, market swings, and academic pressures. Lean on faith, self‑care, and a tight support network to navigate lows.
- Exercise Patience: In agriculture, we don’t blow; we grow. Results manifest over weeks and months, not hours. So always learn to Celebrate incremental gains.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Neso Farms
Today, Neso Farms stands at the threshold of expansion. We’re exploring scalable soil-less modules for schools and community centers, aiming to decentralize food production and bolster local food security. Our call remains open to mentors, investors, and partners who share our vision of “sowing seeds of future fortunes.”
If you believe in the power of agriculture to transform lives, let’s connect. Together, we can cultivate resilience—one harvest at a time.