The project targets to train 10,500 smallholder farmers and 1,580 out-of-school youth to explore opportunities on the agricultural value chain effectively.
Speaking at the training of the farmers and out-of-school youth at the Elmina workshop last Wednesday, the Municipal Director of Agriculture, Madam Victoria Dansoa Abankwa, explained that the TAGDev 2.0 programme being implemented by the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and the Department of Agriculture was designed to empower out-of-school youth by building their capacity through entrepreneurship training, technical skills, and soft skills relevant to the agricultural sector.
Also she stated that the programme would equip the beneficiary youth and others from disadvantaged groups, like women, differently abled persons, refugees, and displaced persons, with competencies to drive climate-resilient and equitable development.
Madam Victoria Abankwa, assured the group that, the programme would empower the beneficiaries to create their own employment opportunities in the agricultural sector. Additionally, she said it targeted specific agricultural value chains to build skills and create opportunities for the cassava, sweet potato, tomato, pineapple, and vegetable farmers.
In her conclusion remarks, she charged the beneficiaries to commit to the success of the project and maximize its impact on their productivity and incomes.
The KEEA Municipal Chief Executive, Ismail Zagoon-Saeed, in a brief speech stated that “agriculture continues to be a significant contributor to the nation’s socio-economic growth and urged young women and men to have a business mindset towards agriculture. He emphasized that it was time to adopt new ways of doing business for enhanced profitability”.
The orientation session was facilitated by the KEEA Municipal Agricultural Officers (Mr. Nuhu Ramzy Adam and Mr. Mattmas Eshun) and the Municipal Manager for the Business Resource Centre, Mr. Joris Ocran
A total of 82 youths, comprising 70 females and 12 males from 25 communities, participated in the 5th orientation workshop.
