The Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC) has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering young entrepreneurs across Africa to build innovative, technology-driven and scalable agribusinesses over the next decade.
Mr Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, Executive Director of KIC, said the organisation would continue to invest in innovations, competitive agribusiness ventures, technology-enabled agriculture and programmes that create more opportunities for women and young people.
He made the commitment at the launch of KIC’s 10th anniversary celebrations in Accra.
Speaking on the organisation’s journey, Mr Gyan-Kesse said KIC was founded on the belief that young people possessed the talent and creativity needed to transform agriculture but often lacked institutional support to realise their ambitions.
“Ten years ago, KIC was not a certainty; it was a conviction that young people did not lack talent but lacked support from institutions for their aspirations,” he said.
He noted that over the past decade, the organisation had built an ecosystem that enabled young people to innovate, develop businesses and contribute to the transformation of the agricultural sector.
“Our work has been about dignity, confidence and urgency, and creating spaces where limitations once appeared permanent,” he added.
Mr Gyan-Kesse said KIC had helped reshape perceptions about agriculture among young people and had impacted more than 700 schools nationwide through partnerships and educational initiatives.
He stressed that modern agriculture extended beyond farming activities to include technology, logistics, digital systems, food innovation, value addition, renewable energy and mechanisation.
“Agriculture today is no longer confined to the field alone. Young people across the country are proving this every day, and that gives us confidence for the future,” he stated.
The anniversary celebration, themed “A Decade of Youth Innovation, Impact and Agricultural Transformation,” will feature exhibitions, alumni engagements, thought leadership discussions and community-focused activities in the coming months.
Mr Gyan-Kesse expressed appreciation to development partners, stakeholders and supporters whose contributions had helped advance the organisation’s mission over the years.
Mr Paul Kasanga, Country Director of the Mastercard Foundation, called for stronger collaboration among institutions to unlock opportunities within the agriculture sector.
He urged policymakers, investors and development partners to view agriculture as a viable economic opportunity rather than a sector of last resort.
“Across Africa, one of the defining opportunities of our time is ensuring that young people continue to find dignifying and fulfilling work,” he said.
According to him, agriculture must become more inclusive, technology-driven and attractive to young people if it is to realise its full potential in creating jobs and driving economic growth.
He commended KIC for its achievements over the past decade and its contribution to youth employment and entrepreneurship development.
Nana Joe Mensah, Board Chairman of KIC, said the organisation had facilitated the creation of 64,165 jobs since its establishment in 2016.
He highlighted a number of interventions, including vocational training centres and Information Technology resource centres, which had positively impacted communities across the country.
“KIC does not simply organise competitions and hand out prizes. It works with young people over time, helping them understand markets, test ideas, refine business plans, access investors and develop the confidence to lead,” he said.
Established in 2016 as a non-profit organisation, KIC focuses on youth leadership, entrepreneurship development, sustainable agriculture, access to productive resources, gender inclusion, policy advocacy and innovation.
The organisation supports young entrepreneurs and small businesses in transforming ideas into sustainable enterprises capable of contributing to economic growth and agricultural transformation.
