Ghana’s agricultural sector remains one of the most vital pillars of its economy, feeding households, sustaining rural livelihoods, and anchoring local industries. Yet today, the sector faces a silent crisis, not only of funding or access to modern tools, but of perception.
Despite its potential for job creation and wealth generation, agriculture in Ghana has become increasingly unattractive to the youth. It is often seen as burdensome, outdated, and unrewarding, a career choice left for those with no alternatives. This worrying trend, if left unchecked, could undermine the nation’s food security and future economic stability.
Presidential Aide and Senior Advisor to former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, believes that it must change, and urgently, she says. Speaking in an interview with Woezor TV on Sunday, April 20, she called for a complete mindset shift about agriculture, particularly among young people.
“We believe the youth must see agriculture not as a last resort, but as a smart, innovative, and rewarding career path,” she said.
For Madam Bawah Mogtari, transforming agriculture means making it more attractive, more engaging, and more accessible to the young generation. “All we want to do is to make agriculture sexier and more engaging for the youth to be able to build something for themselves,” she noted.
Her vision is clear: a Ghana where agriculture is powered by technology, entrepreneurship, and youthful energy. A country where farming isn’t defined by struggle, but by strategy. And it starts, she says, with government commitment, something a future Mahama administration intends to prioritise.
She explained that the new direction would involve targeted investments, especially for youth-led agribusinesses. These would include access to credit, training, tools, and guaranteed market opportunities, removing the barriers that currently make it difficult for young people to participate meaningfully in the sector.
But perhaps more importantly, Madam Bawah Mogtari emphasized that this transformation also requires a shift in national priorities and narratives. Agriculture, she insisted, must no longer be portrayed as a symbol of hardship, but as a frontier for innovation and independence.
“We believe agriculture holds the key to job creation and national prosperity. The youth must be central to that future,” she concluded.
