Boost-To-Bloom Project: Using horticulture as springboard

A new initiative is set to transform the economic prospects of youth in northern Ghana by positioning horticulture as a springboard for job creation, entrepreneurship and value addition. 

Agrihouse Foundation, with catalytic support from AGRA and the Mastercard Foundation, under the Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) Programme, has launched the Boost-To-Bloom project to unlock the commercial potential of tomatoes, pepper, and onions in the five northern regions of Ghana.

At its core, the initiative aims to create a pipeline of 20,000 skilled, business-minded youth, including young women and persons with disabilities, between 2025 and 2028.

These beneficiaries receive targeted training, coaching, and start-up support to establish agribusinesses that span production, processing and input distribution.

“We are not just growing vegetables. We are growing the next generation of agri-entrepreneurs who can compete, add value, and transform communities,” the Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, said.

Why horticulture

Youth unemployment remains a pressing challenge in Ghana’s northern belt, where agriculture remains the mainstay of rural livelihoods but offers limited economic mobility due to fragmentation, market barriers and post-harvest losses.

At the same time, the vegetable value chains present untapped growth potential—particularly in processed products such as tomato paste, dried onions, and powdered pepper.

Boost-To-Bloom Project responds to this opportunity with a comprehensive agribusiness roadmap that goes beyond production to address market access, input supply, and financial literacy, with an eye on both domestic and export markets.  
 

Creating job pathways 

The project places a deliberate focus on young women and persons with disabilities, recognising the systemic barriers they face in accessing land, finance, and leadership opportunities.

Through regional boot camps and agribusiness hubs, beneficiaries will be supported to launch enterprises across the horticulture value chain, operate input dealerships and service centres, develop leadership and innovation skills and also gain financial management and cooperative governance know-how.

This approach aligns with AGRA’s commitment to inclusive agricultural transformation, ensuring that no demographic is left behind as Ghana’s agri-food economy evolves. 

From fields to markets

A unique feature of the initiative is the formation of Boost-To-Bloom Project networks – localised agribusiness clusters that promote shared infrastructure, collective bargaining and market linkages.

These networks will connect beneficiaries to buyers, exporters, processors and public-private partners.

“We are focused on building systems, not silos. Through these networks, we are connecting youth-led businesses to markets, finance, and policymaking spaces,” Dr Betty Annan, Country Director, AGRA Ghana, said.

Additionally, the project will strengthen cross-regional peer learning, facilitate access to transport and storage facilities, and enable shared use of processing equipment to reduce cost and improve competitiveness.

Value Addition

In line with Ghana’s ambition to expand non-traditional exports and reduce reliance on raw commodity trade, the Boost-To-Bloom project is embedding value addition as a core principle.

Training modules will include food safety, product packaging and branding, equipping the youth with the capacity to produce shelf-ready products for supermarkets and international buyers.

AGRA’s involvement ensures that the initiative is also connected to national and regional policy dialogues, offering evidence that can inform inclusive agribusiness development strategies across the continent.

Scalable model

Boost-To-Bloom Project demonstrates a new model of agricultural development—one that combines skills training with enterprise creation, systems thinking with on-the-ground action, and youth empowerment with market responsiveness.

With the backing of Mastercard Foundation and AGRA, the initiative signals a shift toward youth-led, inclusive, and commercially viable agriculture, establishing and creating meaningful, dignified and life-transforming jobs, for the youth in northern Ghana.