CATHOLIC YOUTH AGRO MOVEMENT
What Makes Us Special
Mission
🌿
To empower the young people through faith-filled agricultural education, hands-on farming experience, and sustainable agribusiness skills, so that they may become responsible stewards of God’s creation, improve food security in their communities, and witness Christ’s love through service to others.
Vision
🌾
A thriving generation of Catholic youth in Ekwulobia and beyond who integrate Gospel values with modern, eco-friendly farming practices, building resilient rural communities where agriculture is celebrated as both a vocation and a path to personal growth, communal prosperity, and faithful stewardship of the earth.
Goals
Faith-Rooted Learning: Organize regular formation sessions that explore biblical teachings on creation, stewardship, and the dignity of labor. Incorporate prayer and reflection into all practical training workshops. Practical Agricultural Skills: Establish demonstration plots in every parish to teach best practices in crop production, soil health, and water management. Host quarterly field days and “farm labs” where members gain first-hand experience in vegetable gardening, poultry rearing, and agroforestry. Youth-Led Agribusiness: Launch an annual “Green Entrepreneurs” grant program to seed youth-driven projects—such as beekeeping cooperatives, fish ponds, or value-added food processing. Provide mentorship and linkages to local agribusiness experts, credit unions, and markets. Community Outreach & Partnership: Collaborate with diocesan schools, local government, and agricultural colleges to expand resources and technical support. Host the annual October Harvest Exhibition as an open-air fair, showcasing member produce and inviting inter-parish exchange of seeds, techniques, and testimony. Sustainability & Environmental Care: Promote eco-friendly practices—composting, crop rotation, integrated pest management, and water conservation—in all CYAM activities. Encourage tree-planting drives and the protection of local watersheds as part of our duty to protect “our common home.” Leadership & Personal Growth: Cultivate servant-leadership through roles in planning events, teaching peers, and coordinating community service projects. Document and share member success stories to inspire wider diocesan participation and model how faith and farming together can transform lives.
🎯
Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria, Ekwulobia Diocese Hosts Maiden Agro-Seminar for Young Catholics By Peter Nwobodo In preparation for the farming season and in a bid to engage the youths in maximizing their time through farming, Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria, Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia on Saturday, March 8, 2025, hosted her maiden agro-seminar for young catholics. The Seminar took place at Holy Family Catholic Church, Akpo. The seminar, which drew over 200 participants from various parishes and deaneries within the diocese was successful and enriching. The seminar was not only aimed at preparing the youths for the farming season but also, for the next Diocesan Youth Day which will be held on October 26, 2025 where the youths are expected to exhibit the fruits of their harvest. As part of the seminar, notable priests who are renowned in farming were invited as the guest speakers. They include Frs. Philip Okoye, Damian Ogwatta and Francis Ude who specializes in yam cultivation, onion and mushroom cultivations respectively. Speaking during the event, Fr. Philip Okoye who is a multiple award winning “di ji” and the founder of Philloco method of yam cultivation, spoke to the youths about his method of yam cultivation which, according to him, has been tested and trusted for over five years and the results speak for itself. In describing this method, he noted that, “in preparation of the land for cultivation, you must dig three feet or four feet on the ground before placing the yam seedlings. This enables the roots to have enough space to navigate through the soil and the growth of the seedling.” On cutting of more than one tendril, he observed that, “it is not necessary as it affects the life of the seedling. The tendrils are part of the life of the crop and help in photosynthesis and phototropism.” Fr. Okoye took the youths to his farms to have firsthand experience of what his farm and methods look like. Fr. Damian Ogwatta, who spoke on onion cultivation highlighted his motivation towards the cultivation of onions which he noted as the high cost of onions in the market. He decried the traditional notion that onions do not grow in our area as he has carried out the experiment and observed that onions can do well in our area. However, he advised that “onion cultivation demands special care and attention as its roots are very soft and the leaves, fragile.” Fr. Francis Ude, who was among the representatives from Anambra State that travelled to China to study their innovations in agriculture also addressed the youths. He encouraged the youths to form cooperatives in their parishes to help sustain their drive for agriculture and be among the nation feeders. To empower the youths and to encourage them to go into farming, the leadership of CYON-CADEK shared one hundred tubers of yam seedlings to the deaneries with each deanery receiving ten tubers of yam seedlings. Speaking about the event, the principal chaplain of CYON-CADEK, Rev. Fr. Peter Nwobodo praised the diocesan bishop, His Eminence, Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke whose mantra that “aka aja aja n’ebute onu mmanu mmanu” and his love for the youths to utilize every space they have in their compound for farming inspired this seminar. He appreciated the guest speakers for their time and impact made. He noted that “the seminar is a life transforming one as many who came were exposed to new methods and knowledge about farming.” He admonished youths to shun laziness and embrace farming as it is one of the most lucrative businesses less explored.” The Diocesan President, Comrade Louis Nwokike, extolled the presence of the youths who attended the seminar and urged them to develop interest in farming. He described the seminar as a treasure that has awakened in the youths the drive to explore the world of agriculture. Maranatha Newspaper gathered that this seminar is a prelude to the Diocesan Youth Day that will take place on October 26, 2025 at Holy Cross Parish, Ufuma where different agricultural exhibitions will be done and gifts won.
Diji Fr Okoye Holds 7th New Yam Festival, Donates Over 70 Huge Yam Tubers for Church Project By Ifeoma Ezenyilimba Instead of tasking his parishioners with levies, the initiator of Philoco Method of Yam Production and the Parish Priest of Holy Family Catholic Parish, Akpo, Aguata LGA, Anambra State, Rev Fr Philip Uche Okoye, had on the occasion of the 7th Edition of his Come See Yam Festival, donated over 70 huge yam tubers which each one weighed over 100kg, to the parish. Speaking at the well-attended event held at Holy Family Catholic Church, Akpo, last Sunday, August 18, 2024, Fr Okoye, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia, said he donated the first sets of the yam tubers he harvested from his farms this August, for the completion of the Holy Family Parish Secretariat building project. The huge yam tubers were auctioned at the event, and the money realised from the auction sales would be used for the completion of the one-storey building Parish Secretariat which has already been roofed. It will be recalled that the secretariat project was started last year August 2023, with money realised from bazaar auction sales of the 6th Edition of Fr Okoye's New Yam Exhibition. The Catholic priest, had also at the event, donated some huge yam tubers for the parish secretariat building. While explaining the styles of his Philoco Method of Yam Production, which he had used and produced huge harvests, Fr Okoye, maintained that yam cultivation would yield fruitful harvest in Igbo Land, inasmuch as the right method is applied, and at the right time. Pointing out that Philoco Method of Yam Production,, was God's Gift to the present generation, Diji, Fr Philip Okoye, who disclosed that the yam tubers at the exhibition were the few ones he could harvest with the help of people that assisted him, called on the government to assist by providing modern equipments that would help in easier harvesting of such huge yam tubers. While noting that New Yan Festival was celebrated in thanksgiving to God for the blessing of fruitful harvest, Diji, insisted that new yam festival ought to be carried out with yam tubers harvested from the farm land of the town doing the celebration. He flayed some Igbo towns, who ,he said, celebrated their new yam festivals with yam tubers harvested from other towns which included towns from the northern part of Nigeria, saying that such was against Igbo culture and tradition. Goodness Media reports that Fr Phikip Okoye, who had earlier took up yam farming as a hobby, as well as to feed the needy and the aged, had within the 7 years and still counting, nurtured many individuals, especially, the youths in the best process of yam production at Obeledu in Anaocha LGA, at Nanka in Orumba North LGA and currently at Akpo, Aguata LGA, all of Anambra State. Earlier when he led in the concelebrated Holy Mass to mark the event, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia (CADEK), His Eminence Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke, in his remarks, thanked God for the gift of Fr Philip Uche Okoye to the Church and humanity.. Cardinal Okpaleke, who was represented by the Chancellor of CADEK, Very Rev Fr Dr Lawrence Nchekwube Nwankwo, commended Fr Okoye for what he described as his many exploits in agriculture, especially, in yam farming. He urged the youths to learn from the priest, and engage in farming, so as to produce food crops to feed themselves and others, especially as Nigerians were currently being affected by hunger in the country. The many people that graced the event, which had Nze Henry Dim as the chairman of the occasion, feasted on the various delicacies made with the new yam tubers which were all harvested from the land of Umueze Village, Akpo, the community where Holy Family Parish, Akpo is located..
The 2022 World Youth Day Celebration took place at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Umunze, today, August 21, 2022. The Bishop of CADEK, His Eminence, Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke was represented by the Episcopal Vicar of Achina Region, Rev. Fr. Ignatius Ezeakacha who extensively admonished the youths to toe the part of success in their lives. He also called on them to rise up to the challenge of the present time and contribute their quota in safeguarding our land. The event which was chaired by Hon. Dr. Stanislaus Nnaka, had in attendance many dignitaries. Among them was the Distinguished Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Uba who supported the youths present immensely with various equipments like grinding machine, sewing machine etc. Also in attendance were the Traditional Ruler of Akpu Kingdom, HRH Igwe Marcel Okoli and the Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture, Anambra State, Hon. Forster Ihejiofor. Congratulations to CYON-CADEK #cadekonthemove
"Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness."
Thomas Jefferson
Services
REGISTER FOR CYON CADEK 2025 HARVEST EXHIBITION
Contact Us
St. Joseph's Cathedral, Ekwulobia,
P.O. Box 6, Aguata Local Govt. Area
Anambra State, Nigeria
Email: godiswithus4reaal@gmail.com
Phone: +234 8035305467