The Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo Foundation, established by Okuapehene Oseadeyo Kwasi Akuffo, has joined forces with South Africa’s Toutele Agriculture College to provide a five-day free agricultural skills training program for over 120 youths.
The training ongoing in Akropong-Akuapem covers poultry, cattle and sheep, piggery, crops, and irrigation systems.
Emmanuel Ansah Ntow, CEO of the Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo Foundation, stated, “This training aligns with our foundation’s focus on health education and social enterprise. Our goal is to equip youth with practical skills to reduce unemployment and improve food security in Ghana.”
With Ghana’s unemployment rate rising to 14.7% and youth unemployment increasing to over 1.3 million, Emmanuel Ntow believes agribusiness is capable of reducing the rate by providing many job opportunities.
“Agribusiness is the way forward. The world is heading towards a potential food shortage, and our foundation is working to help the youth and address unemployment in our area,” he said. “We hope that the participants will take this opportunity seriously, as the foundation is committed to helping them set up their businesses.”
Dr. Gostina Gabbey Malope, Principal and Founder of Toutele Agriculture College, along with his team, facilitated the training. Dr. Malope stressed the potential of the agriculture sector to mitigate high unemployment rates and alleviate poverty.
“We aim to build a pyramid of skills development and food security. We want every community to have access to food gardens, reducing reliance on expensive imported foods,” she explained. “Agriculture is essential for life, and our goal is to produce organic produce and foster self-employment among graduates.”
Dr. Gyamfi Osew, board chairman of the Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo Foundation, added, “This expert-led training is designed to help beneficiaries gain the necessary skills to engage in various agricultural ventures, promoting local production and reducing the need for food imports.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kojo Ansah
