Farming is not the path many young Nigerians actively choose. So meeting someone who started at just 14 and, now at 25, manages over 20 hectares of farmland immediately shifts that narrative.
In Gboko, Benue State, Terver cultivates yams, cassava, soybeans, and groundnuts on a scale that many twice his age have not attempted. Yet beyond the fields, he is also a university student juggling side jobs while running what has become a full-scale farming operation.
Stella from TracTrac sat down to talk to Terver about his journey into agriculture, the realities of farming in Gboko, and why he believes agriculture remains one of the safest and most sustainable paths for young people today.
Q: Can you tell us about yourself?
Terver: My name is Chiluun Terver Emmanuel. I am 25 years old, from Gboko Local Government, Benue State. My farm is also here in Gboko.
Though young, Terver speaks with the steadiness of someone who has spent years working the soil.
Q: What crops do you grow, and how large is your farm?
Terver: I farm yams, cassava, soybeans, and groundnuts. The yam farm is about 10 hectares. Soybeans, 8 hectares. Groundnuts, 6 hectares. Cassava, about 5 hectares per year.
Altogether, it amounts to over 20 hectares, a scale that demands both physical endurance and careful coordination.
Q: When did you start farming?
Terver: I started when I was 14. I used to go to the farm with my mother. She trained me.
For Terver, farming was never a side option. It was introduced early, shaped by family, and refined through experience.
Q: How has the harvest season been for you?
Terver: For yam, I get about 6,000 tubers in a year. Groundnuts, around 10 bags in a season. Soybeans, 8 to 10 bags. For cassava, when we process it into garri, I take about 6 bags to the market.
A typical farming season runs between four to five months before harvesting begins.
The numbers are promising, but like many farmers in his community, Terver works mostly with manual labor.
Q: Do you use tractors or other farm machinery?
Terver: No. The cost of hiring tractors is high, so we mostly use manual labor or pay people to help us.
Mechanization remains a challenge in many rural communities, and for farmers like Terver, access to affordable equipment could mean greater efficiency and increased output.
Q: You’re also in school and working other jobs. How do you balance everything?
Terver: I’m a final-year student at Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University. I also work with OPAY, SunKing Solar, and Startimes. During school breaks, I focus on farming. When school is in session, I visit the farm on Fridays and hire people to help when necessary.
Balancing multiple responsibilities is not easy, but Terver treats farming as the foundation that supports everything else.
Q: If you could start life over, would you still choose farming?
Terver: Yes. Farming is a calling for me. Even if I work anywhere else, I must continue farming. When I have big financial challenges, it is my farm that helps me solve them.
There is no hesitation in his answer.
Q: What message do you have for young people who doubt they can succeed in farming?
Terver: I will urge them to think twice. If you rely only on office jobs, anything can happen. You can lose the job. But when you have your own farming business, it becomes your safety.
In a time when many young people are looking solely toward white-collar opportunities, Terver’s story offers a grounded reminder that agriculture remains both a livelihood and a lifeline.