MTN Ghana Foundation has inaugurated a Vegetable Centre of Excellence at the University of Ghana’s School of Agriculture.
The investment, exceeding GH¢3 million, boasts solar-powered centre features, three greenhouse structures, a fully equipped training and conference room, administrative offices, boreholes and water reservoirs.
Located on the University of Ghana Farms, it is expected to train young entrepreneurs in vegetable production and agribusiness as part of an initiative to strengthen food security and reduce the country’s dependence on food imports.
It was handed over to the university last Wednesday ahead of the Farmers Day celebration.
The centre will be operated by the agronomic solutions provider, Defarmercist, in collaboration with the University of Ghana School of Agriculture to equip Ghanaian youth with practical agricultural skills and reduce unemployment through vocational training in modern agribusiness.
The initiative will also provide students with practical skills in crop management, irrigation systems and sustainable farming methods.
The training modules will cover seedling nursing, smart irrigation installation and scheduling; transplanting, fertigation management, pest and disease control, and post-harvest handling.
Additionally, it will extend opportunities to unemployed youth and smallholder farmers seeking to expand their farms and enterprises.
At the handover ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, said the facility reflected the company's commitment to promoting initiatives that fostered real economic growth.
He said MTN Ghana’s broader vision was to create an inclusive, bold new digital world that incorporated agriculture.
“With this significant investment in this centre, in collaboration with the University of Ghana and Defarmercist, we are establishing a symbol of modern agriculture. Students, young entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers will receive training in innovative techniques, sustainable practices and digital greenhouse management,” he said.
“Today, you can control your entire world from your phone, and agriculture is no exception,” Mr Blewett added.
He said since 2018, MTN’s M-AGRIC programme had used mobile money to digitise the farm supply chain and support unbanked farmers with financial access.
The MTN Ghana CEO added that the new hub would bring together classroom learning, greenhouse technology, and open-field production, supported by solar-powered irrigation and drip systems– technologies that would eliminate the work associated with traditional farming, and help farmers to achieve precision and year-round production.
Sustainability
The Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, Adwoa Afriyie Wiafe, also underscored MTN Ghana’s commitment to sustainability, stating that the Foundation prioritised initiatives that delivered long-term, scalable impacts.
“For us, impact is key. We want everything we do to be scalable, far-reaching and accessible to those who might otherwise remain unemployed. We learned from the Defarmercist team that it takes just three months to go to market, and with the right tools and support, many younger people can gain access to meaningful employment,” she said.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Development at the University of Ghana, Professor Felix Ankomah Asante, said the facility would serve as a bridge between theoretical learning and practical training.
He indicated that the vegetable hub would offer students and trainees hands-on experience in greenhouse management, digital farming tools, automated irrigation systems and sustainable agricultural practices, making them employable and entrepreneurial from the outset of their careers.
“Students who engage with this hub will gain confidence, practical skills, and networks that will make them both employable and entrepreneurial from day one,” Prof. Asante said.
Partnerships
The Technical Advisor to the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Kwasi Etu-Bonde, commended MTN Ghana Foundation, the University of Ghana and Defarmercist for this sustainable initiative, adding that it would significantly contribute to job creation and the well-being of Ghanaians.
“Partnerships like the collaboration between the University of Ghana and Defarmercist, supported by funding from the MTN Ghana Foundation, enhance the government’s efforts to make agriculture appealing to the youth,” he added.
The Co-Founder of Defarmercist Group, Samuel Agyemang, emphasised the centre’s role in attracting young people to agriculture.
“Students will witness how technology transforms farming into a profitable and sustainable business.
By the time they graduate, they will not be job seekers but job creators, ready to drive innovation in agribusiness,” he stated.
Teachers and students from Presbyterian Senior High Technical School, Aburi, who benefited from MTN Ghana Foundation’s smart farming initiative during its annual employee volunteer programme in 2024, attended the event to celebrate the occasion.
