Venture into agriculture to contribute to Ghana's economic transformation – Dr Gaveh urges youth

Dr. Eli A. Gaveh, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Horticulture at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has called on Ghana's youth to see agriculture not as a burden, but as a significant opportunity to contribute to the nation's economic growth. He stressed that dedicated and committed young people are essential for transforming Ghana and building a stronger economy through agriculture.

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As a nation, we need dedicated and committed youth who will be able to transform the nation and build a stronger economy through agriculture for the benefit of all.

Dr. Gaveh stated that the agricultural sector cannot function effectively without active youth participation, viewing them as "key players in the whole equation of agriculture." He made these remarks at the Ghana Cocoa Innovations Hackathon 2024 event held at KNUST. The event, organized in collaboration with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, focused on "Bridging the gap between industry and academia through youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship."

Ten student groups presented innovative ideas and technologies aimed at transforming the cocoa sector. The winning team proposed a concept for rehabilitating old cocoa farms and establishing a cocoa center of excellence. Dr. Gaveh also raised concerns about the average age of Ghanaian farmers, which is around 60 years, warning that the nation cannot rely on an aging farming population for agricultural transformation. He emphasized the need for energetic, value-driven youth to drive change and innovation.

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as academia, we see the youth as key players in the whole equation of agriculture.

Highlighting the challenges facing the cocoa sector, Dr. Gaveh noted that Ghana's highest cocoa production in the past 20 years was one million metric tons, a target not met despite various interventions. He pointed to climate change and youth disinterest in agriculture as major threats to the sector, which he described as the "bedrock of the economy." He urged preserving the cocoa sector "like gold and any other treasure," warning that its decline would lead to economic collapse with severe consequences for citizens.

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Looking at the challenges with climate change coupled with youth disinterest in agriculture, there is a great threat to the cocoa sector. If we address this threat, the whole value chain of cocoa which is the bedrock of the economy will be threatened.

Naomi Tuintra, a diplomat at the Netherlands Embassy in Accra, mentioned that the program aims to attract young people to the cocoa sector. The hackathon serves as a tool to engage the youth in agriculture, not just cocoa cultivation but the entire sector.

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We need to preserve the cocoa sector like gold and any other treasure. If we take out cocoa from the Ghanaian economy, we are going to crash the economy with its attendant consequences on the citizenry.