The country’s agriculture prospects can be a goldmine for young entrepreneurs, Miss Alberta Akorsah, Chief Executive Officer of the Agrihouse Foundation has said.
According to Miss Akorsah, the neglect of the country’s agric sector, though regrettable is largely blamable on the reluctance of the country’s youth to consider taking up a profession in the sector.
“Agriculture has suffered neglect over the years which is primarily due to the reluctance of the vibrant Ghanaian youth to look in the direction of agriculture even though the sector clearly has the potential to gainfully employ and put the youth on the path to socio-economic progress,” she said.
Agrihouse Foundation is a non-governmental agricultural capacity building institution with a special focus on the promotion of changing the perception of agriculture through tactical programs and initiatives for students, women, farmers, and the entire actors in the food value chain.
Miss Alberta Akorsah said the focus of the program is towards the preparing and building of several agribusinesses and leaders at the events to change the unhelpful perception of agriculture.
“The aim of the program is to groom and build 100 agribusinesses and leaders at every AG-STUD event,” said Miss Akorsah. “The AG-STUD is a stepping stone in changing the negative perception which has over time projected the agric sector as a field for peasants and unambitious sections of society, she added.
The AG-STUD is expected to throw more light and education on the benefits and job opportunities that are involved in the agric sector and also educate the youth on how to build a vibrant agribusiness through planning, rebranding, integrated communications, financing and investment, ICT, among others.
Miss Akorsah who is also the Director of the Food and Agric Fair, FAGRO explained that the Agrihouse Foundation as part of the program will host an Agri-Students Innovation Exhibition at the AG-STUD event where students and schools will get to showcase their inventions, innovations and initiatives.
GIZ ATVET will reward and sponsor two best female innovators to participate in an Agribusiness Innovation Summit in Dakar in March, 2018.
Aside this, mentors will assist some selected student innovators for a one year project to develop their innovations and possibly employ them, she said.
Source: Joyce Bedeley/ritefmonline.org/jbedeley9357@gmail.com
