The European Union, in partnership with the Tu-Delft University of Technology, Netherlands, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kwadaso Agricultural College (KAC), Kumasi, to strengthen a horticulture for youth project currently being run at the college.
Other signatories to the MOU are the Holland Greentech, a private partner and the Kumasi Business Incubator (KBI) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, who together are implementing the youth in the horticulture project in Ghana.
The MoU was signed during the graduation of the third batch of the students who underwent a four- month training under the “Horticulture for Business” project at the Kwadaso College.
Dubbed the “Entrepreneurship in Horticulture: Farming as a Business” programme, it offers training in vegetable farming for young people in Ghana as a means of matching the demand for labour and growing opportunities in the horticulture sector.
Madam Marjan Kreijns, Director of TU Delft Green Village Programme, told the GNA in an interview that the MOU was to reinforce the agreement between the partners and commit them to implement the project for a long time in many years to come.
She said it would also help in building together, and investing in the project for a long time.
“By signing the MOU, we all agree and confirm that all of us are going to work for a very long time together,” Madam Kreijns said.
The signing ceremony also coincided with the graduation cceremony of about 86 graduates at the College, who were also allowed to come out with a business idea through a pitching process, and the team of winners to be provided extra business incubation tuition at the KBI.
She commended the graduates and urged them to use the opportunity to help boost the horticulture and vegetable sector amidst the climate change impact that was affecting farming and other sectors of growth the world over.
“We prepare the students to face horticulture in a way that irrespective of the rainfall you can still farm and have good vegetable business, “she said.
Dr Samuel Akumiah, Director KBI KNUST, expressed the Centre’s resolve to continue with the partnership in ensuring that many Ghanaian youth were provided with the opportunity for livelihoods.
Mr Albert Appiah Amoah, Acting Principal, KAC, said the College intended to restore the practical orients certificate of the Archipelago graduate to be used into “our certificate two years programme in line with the Government planting for food and jobs flagship programmes.”
“We also hope to carry out tracer studies on our Archipelago graduates to ensure that they are encourage to keep up the enthusiasm “, Mr Amoah said.