Agricultural Student Training and Guidance Workshop commences today
The AG-STUD Bootcamp transformation:
Get ready for the sixth edition of the AG-STUD Bootcamp, hosted by Agrihouse Foundation from March 27 to March 31, 2023! This year's theme is '5 years of Grooming, Training and Empowerment - Where we Are now with our Agribusiness', taking place in Accra daily at the GNAT Conference Hall.
This awesome event numbers about 233 Agricultural students, agribusiness rookies, and agriculture enthusiasts from all over the country, eager to receive mentoring, coaching, and participate in hands-on capacity-building sessions. The goal? Empowering these budding agripreneurs with the skills and knowledge necessary to create sustainable agribusinesses.
With almost 30 agric colleges and universities in the country joining in annually, the AG-STUD Bootcamp also offers corporate tours and field trips to help participants become familiar with diverse agribusiness operations across the nation.
Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, emphasizes that over the past 5 years, the bootcamp has directly empowered about 1,200 beneficiaries, and indirectly impacted over 100,000 participants. The primary focus for this year's event is taking stock of the achievements and celebrating the victories of young agripreneurs.
While showcasing the progress made and the successes of the young agripreneurs, Ms. Akosa added that this year's event would be an opportunity to inspire and empower the first-timers to discover their own agribusiness potential.
AG-STUD Bootcamp over the years
Launched six years ago, the Agricultural Students' Career Guidance & Mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp quickly realized that agric students and startup agribusinesses lacked mentoring, coaching, and practical training to help them develop their plans and required soft skills.
To address this issue, the AG-STUD Bootcamp offers various workshops, training sessions, and mentorship programs, providing students and entrepreneurs with hands-on, competency-based learning opportunities.
Through these efforts, in the past five years, the bootcamp has enabled over 1,200 agric students and entrepreneurs to develop their agribusinesses and strengthen their agricultural skills, knowledge, and capacities.
Success stories from the AG-STUD Bootcamp
At Agrihouse Foundation, they believe in the power of the youth to transform agricultural systems and improve food security. Here are just a few inspiring success stories from AG-STUD alumni:
- James Elikem Brown: A 2019 participant from Nglieshie Amanfrom SHS, James owns a thriving 3-acre pineapple farm that employs his fellow graduates. In the past year, he diversified into producing pineapple juice, which is registered with the Food and Drugs Authority.
- Dauda Mustapha: A former student of the All Nations University, Dauda participated in the AG-STUD Bootcamp in 2020. Thanks to training and leadership skills gained at the bootcamp, he expanded his watermelon farm, started a cowpea production, and improved his output by adding 5 acres of yellow corn.
- Obed Asamoah: Part of the 2019 cohort, Obed scaled his mushroom farm after receiving a seed capital of GH¢500. He now supplies mushrooms to African shops in the US and UK. Beyond his daily sales, Obed serves as a trainer in his community.
These are just a few examples of the many success stories coming from AG-STUD alumni. They're making a real impact on the agricultural industry in Ghana!
Speakers, mentors, coaches at the sixth AG-STUD Bootcamp
The Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Yaw Frimpong-Addo, will deliver the Keynote Address, motivating and empowering the students with success stories and career advice. Other notable speakers include the former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Fifi Kwetey, discussing activating one's purpose and self-realization; the 2022 National Best Farmer, Nana Yaw Sarpong Siriboe, speaking on the theme 'Developing and Managing your Agribusiness and Organisational Structures'; and Madam Nora Goa, Managing Director of LK International, who will share insights on Agribusiness, Innovations, and Market Identification Development.
Various industry experts from FDA, GEPA, CPC, ADB, Dizengoff, OCP Ghana, Carbon AV, Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), Broadspectrum Ghana, Blue Skies, Mastercard Foundation, and Yara Ghana will also be present as mentors, coaches, and trainers during the 5-day event.
Activity line-up for the 5-day bootcamp
Planned activities for the 5-day bootcamp will help nurture teamwork, develop public speaking and negotiating abilities, and foster creativity and innovation:
- Agri-growth: Share progress, impacts, and challenges in agribusiness ventures.
- Agri-Ted talks: Inspiring career stories and insights from industry leaders.
- Agri-inspire: Open conversations with industry leaders and question-and-answer sessions about business plans for agribusiness startups.
- AG-Voyage: Corporate tours to learn about business operations, ask questions, and engage with business owners.
- Agri-Booster: Fine-tuning agribusiness proposals, perfecting business pitching skills, and then showcasing plans to impress judges.
Startup support and partnerships
Agromonti, a leading Agro input dealer company in Ghana, has pledged to partner with Agrihouse Foundation to establish a state-of-the-art input dealer business for the winner of the AG-STUD Ultimate Prize Challenge, estimated to cost about GH¢75,000.
Dizengoff Ghana Limited, a prominent provider of agricultural inputs and services in Ghana, has also offered financial and technical support for the bootcamp.
Other organizations, such as Naanam Ventures, OCP Ghana, World Food Programme (WFP), B-diet, Kofi Venyo Ventures, Waf Agro, FDA, Holland Akokor, and ADB, have also pledged technical support for the event.
[1] https://www.myjoyonline.com/business/agribusiness/feature/ag-stud-bootcamp-programme-impacts-over-7-000-young-aghans-says-alberta-nana-akosa/
[2] https://www.ghanacost.net/gbc/forum/read.php?2,4970034,4970034#msg-4970034
- The AG-STUD Bootcamp, hailing its sixth edition, aims to foster growth in the agricultural industry by empowering 233 agricultural students and agribusiness enthusiasts with practical training, mentoring, and coaching sessions from March 27 to March 31, 2023.
- Over the past five years, the AG-STUD Bootcamp has directly impacted around 1,200 beneficiaries and indirectly reached over 100,000 participants, signifying substantial development in the agribusiness sector.
- To celebrate young agripreneurs' accomplishments and inspire first-timers, this year's event will focus on stocktaking the achievements and honoring victories.
- Success stories include James Elikem Brown, a 2019 participant who owns a thriving pineapple farm employing fellow graduates, and Obed Asamoah, a 2019 cohort member who scaled his mushroom farm, supplying mushrooms to international markets and serving as a community trainer.
- Notable speakers at the event include the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Yaw Frimpong-Addo, the former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Fifi Kwetey, the 2022 National Best Farmer, Nana Yaw Sarpong Siriboe, and Madam Nora Goa, Managing Director of LK International.
- Various industry experts from FDA, GEPA, CPC, ADB, Dizengoff, OCP Ghana, Carbon AV, Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), Broadspectrum Ghana, Blue Skies, Mastercard Foundation, and Yara Ghana will provide mentorship, coaching, and training during the 5-day event.
- Planned activities include Agri-growth, Agri-Ted talks, Agri-inspire, AG-Voyage, and Agri-Booster, aimed at nurturing teamwork, developing public speaking and negotiating abilities, and fostering creativity and innovation.
- Agromonti and Dizengoff Ghana Limited have pledged to partner with Agrihouse Foundation, offering financial and technical support, while other organizations such as Naanam Ventures, OCP Ghana, World Food Programme (WFP), B-diet, Kofi Venyo Ventures, Waf Agro, FDA, Holland Akokor, and ADB have also pledged technical support for the event, enhancing the prospects for personal growth and learning in the agribusiness sector.
