Wednesday, 15 October

Amasaman MP urges youth empowerment through agribusiness development

News
Sedem Afenyo

The Member of Parliament for Amasaman Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Mr  Sedem Kwaku Afenyo, has called on the Minister of Food and Agriculture to roll out policies and initiatives that promote agriculture as a viable business venture, particularly to attract and empower Ghanaian youth.

He emphasised that Ghana’s agricultural sector — long regarded as the backbone of the national economy — holds enormous potential for growth and job creation.

However, limited investment and inadequate support systems have discouraged many young people from pursuing farming as a sustainable livelihood.

Speaking during a visit to Young Teddy Farms at Akramang, Mr. Afenyo lamented that despite Ghana’s abundance of fertile land, successive governments have not adequately prioritised the sector.

He contrasted Ghana’s situation with countries such as Italy and Brazil, which have managed to build thriving agricultural industries despite having less fertile land.

“Investing in youth-led agriculture is key to addressing unemployment and driving national development,” the Amasaman MP stated.

The visit was part of his broader effort to encourage private agribusiness initiatives and to assure the management of Young Teddy Farms of the government’s commitment to supporting training programmes for young farmers.

The Chief Executive Officer of Young Teddy Farms, Asafoatse Ayitey Animley, also urged young Ghanaians to consider agriculture as a profitable and sustainable career path.

He explained that Young Teddy Farms engages in multiple agricultural ventures, including livestock rearing, poultry, crop cultivation, and vegetable production — demonstrating that farming can be both diverse and lucrative when properly managed.“Agriculture has vast potential for wealth creation,” he said.

“The government must provide low-interest loans and support mechanisms to help more youth venture into farming.

This will not only reduce unemployment but also secure Ghana’s food future.”

 

Mr. Afenyo reiterated his commitment to working with relevant Ministries and agencies to create an enabling environment for young farmers, stressing that the future of Ghana’s economy depends on the transformation of agriculture into a dynamic and youth-driven enterprise.

Source: Classfmonline.com/Samuel Addo