NAGRICA programme aims to train 27,500 people in 3 years
Participants urged to take agri-business training serious
The German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, opened the National Agricultural Capacity Building and Business Set-up Roadshow (NAGRICA), with a call on the youth of the country to venture into agriculture.
The programme tagged, “It is Possible,” was an initiative of Dr Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings, Member of Parliament of Klotey Korley Constituency, and implemented by Agrihouse Foundation, a non-governmental organisation with a focus on agri-business and agriculture.
The programme aims to train 27,500 people in mushroom farming and rabbit rearing for three years, and provide logistics and mentorship support for participants to enable them to set up and grow their agri-businesses.
Under a three-day programme, which started on December 16, about 150 youth from Greater Accra, are being trained in snail and rabbit and mushroom cultivation after which each beneficiary would be given a starter pack to enable them to start their businesses.
Mr Krull, who was the guest of honour, said there were a lot of jobs in the agricultural sector and urged the youth to take advantage of agribusiness.
He also entreated the beneficiaries to take the training seriously to build their skills in snail, rabbit and mushroom rearing.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, the Lead Implementer of the programme, said she came up with the idea to help and support the youth to enter the agri-business about seven years ago.
According to her, agriculture and agri-business could be a tool to create jobs for the youth and address the unemployment challenge facing the country.
The MP noted that even though the application for the programme was done online, more than 700 youth applied to be enrolled on the programme.
“I’m overwhelmed by the positive response this exercise has received from the youth,” she said.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings urged the participants “to make the most out of the training,” disclosing that an application was being developed to help participants share information about the programme.
She said post-harvest losses remained a problem and arrangements had been made for the products to be produced from the programme to be bought by off-takers, so marketing does not become a problem to the beneficiaries.
The programme which is in its first phase is being implemented in Accra and would be subsequently extended to all the other regions in the country.
Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings, MP for Klottey Korle constituency