President John Dramani Mahama is expected to launch the School Farm Initiative on Tuesday, October 21, in the Volta Region.
The initiative aims to transform schools into centres of agricultural learning and production, targeting over 15,000 acres in 1,000 schools.
The Director of Agricultural Initiatives and Agribusiness at the Office of the President, Dr. Peter Boamah Otukunor, announced this at a two-day ELIGREEN Women and Youth Agribusiness Exhibition Summit (EWAYES 25) in Accra.
The event was held on the theme “Breaking barriers; securing market access for women and youth in the agribusiness sector.”
It attracted research institutions and food producers and processors from across the agricultural value chain.
Dr. Otukunor said another initiative on poultry and livestock training would equip about 20,000 young people in modern animal production to create jobs, while the Youth Agricultural Estate Programme would provide structural programmes through commercial farming, irrigation and market access for young graduates.
Support
He appealed to financial institutions to support the initiatives and charged the youth to avail themselves of the opportunities in order to be part of the history-making process.
Dr Otukunor said the Dobidi out-grower flagship programme is targeting about 10,000 acres of rice farms and 50,000 acres of maize, as well as input support for smallholder farmers.
”Your story is what Ghana needs. Bold individuals who see beyond the challenges and create platforms for others,” Dr Otukunor said.
The Head of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Banking at Ghana Exim Bank, Evans Darko, said the bank had invested over GH₵50 million to finance the agricultural value chain and is currently investing in poultry and rice production for the next five years.
He charged the youth and producers to take advantage of the initiative.
Project
The Project Director of ELIGREEN, Prince Ackuaku, on behalf of the Founder, Sophia Karen Edem Ackuaku, said the transformative summit speaks volumes about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
“As we embark on this journey together, we aim to break down the barriers that have long hindered access to markets, finance, and innovation for women and youth in agribusiness,” he said.
Prince Ackuaku said the summit was a testament to the dedication of the partners, stakeholders, and the entire agribusiness community who believe in the power of inclusive growth.
“Today, we are not just talking about agribusiness; we are talking about empowerment to redefine the future of agriculture by ensuring that the next generation of agripreneurs, especially women and youth, have the tools and resources to work with,” he said
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