Dr Francis Obeng, the Soil Health Project Coordinator for AGRA, making a presentation at the launch of the Youth in Agriculture project.

Project to train agric students launched

Zadok Kwame Gyesi Mar - 24 - 2016 , 14:35

The African Alliance for Green Revolution (AGRA) is committing US$670,565 to the training of students from the colleges of agriculture and farm institutes across the country.

It is to encourage the students to go into agribusiness after their graduation.

The beneficiary colleges are at Damongo, Ejura, Kwadaso and Ohawu in the Northern, Ashanti and Volta regions, respectively, while the farm institutes are in Adidome, Asuansi and Wenchi in the Volta, Central and Brong Ahafo regions respectively.

The Faculty of Agriculture of the University for Development Studies (UDS) is also part of the project.

The three-year project, dubbed “Youth in agriculture”, is part of AGRA’s “Enhancing the capacities of agricultural college and farm institute graduates towards participation” programme which is being implemented by the UDS.

Launch

Speaking at the launch of the project in Tamale, the Programme Officer of AGRA, Dr Zacharie Zida, said considering the importance of the youth in the socio-economic development of every nation, their involvement in agribusiness would go a long way to enhance their lives.

He said the programme had been designed to enhance the capacities of agricultural college graduates to participate fully in agriculture after the completion of their studies.

“AGRA seeks to use this project to address some problems faced by our graduates, particularly those from the agriculture colleges and encourage them to consider agriculture as a viable business venture,” he stated.

Farming

The Project Coordinator for Soil Health of AGRA’s Youth in Agriculture project, Dr Francis K. Obeng, expressed concern over the fact that many people, particularly students, did not cherish going into farming in recent times.

He said although there were many benefits in agribusiness, many people farmed as a way of life and not for commercial reasons.

He said at least 292 students were expected to go into commercial agribusiness after the three-year period of the project.

The Vice-Chancellor of the UDS, Professor Ayum Teye, expressed the hope that the project would inspire many agriculture students to go into commercial farming.