Why We Grow

Join us for the launch of our short film about the experiences of young food growers in Glasgow and Nigeria.

All around the world, the people who grow our food are getting older. The average farmer in the UK is 59 with many farmers working past the age of retirement. In Nigeria, a country with a very young overall population, the average farmer is 53 years old. With so few young people going into farming, who is going to grow our food in the future?

In this DIY Film Project, we asked 10 young food growers from Scotland and Nigeria to share their stories, what motivates them and the challenges they face. Join us as we celebrate the launch of this short film and discuss the opportunities and challenges for young people wanting to become growers in the UK and Nigeria.

We will hear from Opeyemi Elujulo, co-founder and director of Youth In Agroecology & Restoration Network. YARN work at the intersection of agriculture and climate change, addressing the menace of hunger, rural poverty and climate change in Nigeria.

We will also hear from the Food & Climate Action Project in Glasgow.

After watching the film together, there will be space for an open discussion about the challenges and opportunities for young people interested in becoming food growers in the UK, Nigeria and elsewhere.

This project is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.