The Russian Embassy in Accra has issued scholarship opportunities to 97 specialist agriculture students as part of 237 scholarships awarded to Ghanaian students admitted to Russian institutions for the 2026/27 academic year.
The Russian Ambassador to Ghana, Andrei Ordash, who disclosed this in an interview with the Daily Graphic, explained that the concentration of the majority of the scholarships to agriculture students was because of Ghana’s interest in developing its agricultural sector, which he described as vital for the economy.
He said Russia consequently intended to help Ghana in that endeavour.
Mr Ordash said for Ghana to realise this ambition, it would need technologists and other specialists in that field, and that Russia, which had that expertise, was willing to offer the relevant help.
“Without qualified national specialists, it is impossible to implement any agricultural project, energy project, modern industrial programme, digital transformation or development of the mining sector,” he said.
Russia remains one of Ghana’s main trading partners, supplying Ghana with important commodities such as fertiliser for the agriculture sector.
Other supplies Ghana receives from Russia include grains and petroleum products.
Russian companies
Mr Ordash said Russian companies were already keen to expand their supplies of food and fertilisers to African markets, including Ghana.
He said that could include projects involving food processing, the supply of agricultural machinery and technology transfer.
The Ambassador said the embassy had initially planned to give Ghanaian students 120 scholarships this year as part of a partnership to support Ghana’s development efforts, particularly in educating the youth.
However, he said, following assurances his government gave to Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, during a recent trip to Moscow, that Russia would double the number of scholarships for young Ghanaians, the embassy decided to increase it by a further 117, including the 97 who would be trained in different faculties linked with agriculture.
Mr Ordash said over 900 young Ghanaians had applied for studies in Russia this year, adding that more than 500 Ghanaians were currently studying Russian at the University of Ghana alone.
He pointed out that education remained key in Russia’s cooperation with Ghana.
Mr Ordash touched on a wide range of issues in the interview, including latest areas of focus in Russia-Ghana cooperation; trade and investment; Russia’s war with Ukraine and the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow.
GraphicOnline, the online news platform of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd, published in August this year that Russia had doubled its annual scholarship allocation for Ghanaian students from 120 to 240.
The publication quoted Mr Ablakwa as saying that Ghana and Russia had also agreed to deepen cooperation in Ghana’s peace nuclear energy programme and green transition objectives.
