The National Service Scheme (NSS) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Agri-Impact Consult to train between 40,000 and 90,000 tertiary graduates in agriculture.
This initiative, named “Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY),” is expected to create 326,000 jobs and increase agricultural production in Ghana.
The four-year initiative will allow graduates to be posted to farms across the country to undertake their mandatory one-year service. They will receive training and support from Agri-Impact Consult, which is a leading agribusiness management consulting firm.
Speaking at an engagement with the media after the signing, NSS Executive Director Osei Assibey-Antwi said the initiative is sponsored by the Mastercard Foundation. He added that it will also target non-tertiary graduates in the implementing communities.
“The contract that we have signed is about how the Mastercard Foundation through the Agri Impact Group is going to provide support for us to be able to train at least 40,000 to 90,000 graduates in agriculture and our target is training 90,000 graduates within the four years of the contract,” said Assibey-Antwi.
“And the focus is not only going to be about the graduates because all our projects will be in the community so we will integrate non-graduates who are also interested in agriculture.”
The CEO of Agri-Impact Consult, Daniel Fahene Acquaye, said the initiative will focus on four agricultural value chains: rice, soya, tomatoes, and poultry.
He added that it is expected to increase food production by 189,000 tonnes and generate $200 million through import substitution.
“This project is intended to create jobs for 326,000 young people in Ghana in four agricultural value chains including rice, soya, tomatoes, and poultry,” said Acquaye.
“The project is not only focusing on creating jobs for the youth but also increasing agricultural production in Ghana and we have a target of increasing food production by 189,000 tonnes of the value chains that we have mentioned and 12,000 tonnes of poultry and at the end of four years, we anticipate to generate $200 million through import substitution.”