- The government plans to engage over 100,000 post-NSS youth in agriculture, cocoa, livestock, and agribusiness in what could be its most ambitious employment initiative yet.
- The programme includes microgrants, input support, access to land, and technical mentorship, with a special pairing of young farmers with experienced cocoa producers.
- This effort signals a shift in mindset, aiming to position agriculture not just as a fallback option but as a strategic pillar for job creation, industrial growth, and exports.
- However, underlying structural challenges remain, particularly in input markets plagued by import dependence, price volatility, and the smuggling of subsidized fertilizers.
- Access to finance is still a major barrier, as most agribusinesses receive credit with repayment terms under 12 months, far too short for meaningful investments in crops, irrigation, or equipment.
- The programme focuses on production but does not address the need for stable markets, guaranteed pricing, or stronger post-harvest linkages.
- Without sustained support and ecosystem reform, there’s a real risk this programme will deliver only a single production cycle with no long-term transformation.
- There is no clarity yet on whether this youth-focused initiative is part of a coordinated national agriculture strategy or just a standalone intervention.
- The programme’s success depends on fixing the full value chain, irrigation, logistics, land governance, agri-data, and financing, not just boosting short-term output.
- Agriculture cannot be expected to simultaneously secure food supply and drive industrial growth unless policy, infrastructure, and investment work in harmony.
So what?
The youth-in-agriculture programme is timely, targeted, and promising on paper, but its impact will hinge on whether Ghana is ready to fix the fundamentals. Without structural reform, this bold step may lead nowhere. If done right, however, it could be the turning point for a sector long overdue for transformation.
