By Mavis Octhere
The Country Director for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Ghana Chapter, Dr. Betty Annan, has underscored the importance of engaging key stakeholders and Ghanaian youth in dialogue to promote youth entrepreneurship and empower them in agricultural transformation.
She noted that such initiatives would help drive the nation’s food systems while promoting employment in agribusiness and fostering economic vibrancy.
Speaking at a two-day conference held in Accra, Dr. Annan emphasised the role of sustainable agricultural financial support in catalysing positive changes in the sector, urging the youth to actively embrace these opportunities to secure a better future.
The conference, hosted by AGRA Ghana in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, was part of the National Youth Week celebrations. The event focused on unveiling opportunities in agribusiness and providing technical expertise to accelerate innovative agribusiness models. The theme for the conference was “Empowering Youth for Decent Jobs and a Climate-Resilient Food System in Ghana.”
In her remarks, Dr. Annan highlighted the need to connect youth with ecosystem policymakers to strategise on policy actions that can empower young people in the digital and agricultural spaces. “Bringing together the youth and key stakeholders to share and strategise on policy actions is crucial for ensuring food system transformation in Ghana,” she stated.
Delivering the keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority, Pius Enam Hadzide, reiterated the government’s commitment to youth enterprise development. “Youth enterprise creation is a key agenda for the government and serves as a long-term solution for sustainable job creation,” he noted.
The overall project aims to create 92,000 dignified job opportunities for the youth over five years, with a focus on providing holistic financial support to prevent potential constraints. Participants were also encouraged to acquire vocational skills in addition to their professions to enhance income generation and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The conference attracted youth from across the country, some beneficiaries, along with representatives from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, and other key institutions.
