Ghana is taking a bold step to transform its agricultural future by equipping young people with practical, job-ready skills. The Ministry of Education, in partnership with the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) and international NGOs, has rolled out a nationwide agricultural training programme under the ACTIVATE Project.
Supported by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), the Mastercard Foundation, and local partners including Social Enterprise Ghana, the programme is designed to ensure that young people — especially women and marginalized groups — are not left behind in the country’s economic transformation.
Speaking on the initiative, Prof. Kingsley Nyarko, Deputy Minister of Education in charge of TVET, reaffirmed government’s resolve to prioritize technical and vocational education. He revealed that since 2017, more than GHS 6 billion has been invested in upgrading TVET infrastructure. This new collaboration, he explained, is about ensuring that such investments translate into real opportunities, real jobs, and real empowerment for young people.
Through the AAMUSTED-led training, over 500 trainees will gain hands-on skills in modern farming, agribusiness management, and post-harvest technologies. Each participant will also earn a certification from the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) — a recognized qualification that enhances employability or supports entrepreneurship.
But beyond skills, this programme is about dignity, opportunity, and inclusion. Women, who make up the backbone of Ghana’s food systems, are deliberately being engaged. Youth, often locked out of decent jobs, are being given a chance to build livelihoods in one of Ghana’s most critical sectors — agriculture.
NGO partners are bringing funding, expertise, and global networks, while AAMUSTED’s Mampong campus provides technical know-how and training grounds. This blend of policy, academia, and development partnership is the model Ghana must scale up if it is serious about fighting unemployment and achieving food security.
This is more than just training — it is a call to action. With agriculture feeding millions and employing over half of the population, investing in TVET for agriculture means investing in Ghana’s future. It is about empowering our young people to feed themselves, their families, and the nation.
The message is clear: when government, universities, and development partners work hand-in-hand, we do not just create policies — we create possibilities.
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