Fifth (5th) AG-STUD-BOOTCAMP to Open on March 28

The 5^th edition of the Agricultural Students Career Guidance and Mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp (AG-STUD AFRICA), will open on Monday, March 28, to Friday, April 1, 2022.

His Excellency the Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, as part of activities for the first day of the Bootcamp is scheduled to engage the agric students and beginner agribusinesses in a mentoring session aimed at inspiring the young people with his early childhood stories, academic and career choices that have guided his path. He would also be sharing his thoughts on the theme for this year’s event, “Digitalization-The Enabler, The Game Changer, and The future for the Agri-Youth.”

AG-STUD AFRICA BOOTCAMP for the past (4) years has offered career guidance and mentorship dialogues to agricultural students and beginner agribusinesses, to enable them start agribusinesses in their schools and communities.

In the past four (4) years, the bootcamp has hosted agric students from institutions including,

University of Ghana, UCC, Adidome Farm Institute, Asuansi Farm Institude, All Nations University, Ashesi University, Catholic University, Christian University College, UENR, Methodist University, Damongo Agric College, Ejura Agric College, UDS, Kwadaso Agric College, Wenchi Agric College, Fair River Farm Institute, Ashaiman Senior High School, Labone Senior High School, Ngleshin Amanfro, O Reilly, British School of Lome, University of Abidjan, IAEC University, Ohawu Agricultural College, Accra Academy, Accra High School, University of Science and Technology Togo

The event has benefited 750 students directly and over 12,000 individuals indirectly. In short interviews with AGIWATCHGH, some of the students have shared how the Bootcamp has positively impacted their passion for agriculture and startup businesses.

Stephen Amponsah Dinkra, a participant of the 2019 Bootcamp from University of Ghana disclosed that the training he and his colleagues got from the event enabled them to start an vegetable farm on campus where they make income currently. He expressed appreciation to Agrihouse Foundation for organizing the event annually, to help change lives in the Agribusiness sector.

Sulemana Suale from University for Development Studies noted that as far as Agribusiness is concern the training and experience received from the previous AG-STUD has impacted his life, as it is very informative and educative, “The Bootcamp has helped to keep me in the right path in the agricultural sector and I believe this will go a long way to benefit the whole country. I will encourage other young people to take this as an opportunity and join next time,” Kwabena Amonoh said.

“These feedbacks are encouraging, and they motivate us to know that we are on the right track,” the acting General Manager of Agrihouse Foundation, Mr. Michael Opuni-Frimpong said in an interview, at the end of last year’s event.

He said Agrihouse continues to chalk successes and make impacts because of the dedicated team, “Even when we couldn’t work together because of Covid-19 we continued working at home, carrying on and planning our projects,” he noted.

This year, the 5^th edition of the Agricultural Students Career Guidance and Mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp is expected to enlighten the students on the important roles of digitization in agriculture, and in practical ways empower the students to adopt digitization, as young agripreneurs.

The 5 days Bootcamp would entail key activities include; Disciplinary drills and Mental exercise, Capacity-building sessions, competence –based training sessions, Corporate and Flied tour Business ideas and creative content development sessions.

The event has over the years attracted notable personalities including the Member of Parliament of Klottey Korle Constituency, Hon. Dr. Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings, who also serves as an active Patron of the event. Other personalities include Country Manager of OCP Africa, Mr. Samuel Oduro-Asare; Country Manager of AGRA, Madam Regina Richardson; West-Africa Regional Director of Yara, Mr. Danquah-Addo-Yobo; Corporate Communications Manager of Vivo Energy Ghana, Madam Shirley Tony Kum; CEO of Ghana Commodity Exchange, Mrs. Tucci Ivowi; the National 2018 Best Farmer, Mr. James Boateng; Managing Director of IWAD Ghana, Ing. Busia Dawuni, and Mr. Samuel Wangul of Agricultural & Advocacy Lead (4R-NSP, CDF Canada), among others.

AG-STUD-AFRICA Bootcamp has received both technical and financial supports from corporate organization including OCP Africa, Agricultural Development Bank, Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF-Canada), 4r Solution, Soya Beans Meal, Nanam, B-Diet, ADDFRA, Holland Akokor, New Okaff Industries, Kovi, My Barnes, Africa Business Bureau (abb) and the Integrated Water and Agricultural Development Ghana (IWAD), among others.