The Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Work Strategy aims to empower young Ghanaians with dignified and fulfilling work. Notably, 70% of this overarching goal is specifically allocated to women, with a substantial portion also dedicated to persons with disabilities.
The Financial Inclusion for Last Mile Actors (FILMA) Program, an initiative under the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Work Strategy and in partnership with Temple Investment Ltd, has a truly ambitious vision: to create 80,000 dignified and fulfilling work opportunities along the agricultural value chain for young Ghanaians in key rural areas by 2028, with a steadfast commitment to gender inclusion and people with disabilities.
This marks a bold step towards promoting equity and reshaping Ghana’s vital agricultural sector from the ground up. While 70% of opportunities are specifically reserved for young women with a 5% quota for Persons with Disability.
Speaking at the 8th Agricultural Students’ Career Guidance and Mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp (AG-STUD), an impactful event organized by Agrihouse Foundation, Mr. Joseph Boateng, Lead for Access to Markets and Point Person at the FILMA Program at the Mastercard Foundation, emphasized a foundational truth: Ghana’s agricultural transformation hinges on empowering its youth, especially those in rural communities. He stressed FILMA’s core belief that when young people are equipped with the right skills, essential tools, and crucial resources, they become the unstoppable driving force behind sustainable change in agriculture.
“We simply cannot talk about national development without placing our youth, particularly young women, at the very center of our strategy,” Mr. Boateng stated. “The FILMA Program is so much more than just creating jobs. It’s about restoring dignity, building economic resilience, and fundamentally reshaping rural economies to fully reflect the immense potential of their people.”
The FILMA Program, which proudly served as the official partner for this year’s AG-STUD Bootcamp, is meticulously designed to confront the systemic challenges faced by Last Mile Actors, especially those in underserved rural areas. These obstacles include persistently high youth unemployment, critically limited access to financial services, and a glaring lack of targeted support for agricultural development. Young women and persons with disabilities are often disproportionately marginalized, frequently excluded from formal financial systems, essential vocational training, and meaningful market linkages that could transform their lives.
Beyond directly creating employment, FILMA is diligently working to cultivate an enabling environment for sustainable growth across the entire agricultural value chain. The program actively seeks to improve access to affordable and sustainable financial services, seamlessly integrate Last Mile Actors into formal pension schemes, and expand access to vital micro-insurance products. A key objective is also to ensure fair pricing systems and significantly boost market access for rural entrepreneurs, encompassing farmers, processors, traders, and aggregators alike.
Mr. Boateng encouraged the students to dream boldly and act decisively, urging them to build the future of Ghana’s agri-food sector with intention, innovation, and steadfast collaboration.
“This is your time,” he declared to the students. “You must be bold, you must be prepared, and you must deeply understand the value of the work ahead. Agriculture is not just a job; it is a profound mission to feed, to build, and to lead.”
Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, expressed profound appreciation to FILMA for their invaluable support and unwavering collaboration.
“We are deeply grateful to the FILMA Program for coming on board as our official program partner for the 8th AG-STUD Bootcamp,” she shared. “This partnership stands as a powerful testament to our shared commitment to equipping the next generation of agricultural leaders with the skills, networks, and financial tools they need to truly thrive. FILMA’s inspiring vision for inclusive growth aligns perfectly with the impactful work we do at Agrihouse, and together, we are creating real, tangible change at the grassroots.”
She further underscored that empowering young people, especially young women and persons with disabilities, must remain a top priority in Ghana’s relentless drive toward agricultural sustainability and achieving national food security.
“This is precisely how we build the future,” she added, “by investing in people, nurturing authentic leadership, and connecting passion directly to opportunity.”
The 8th AG-STUD Bootcamp once again vividly demonstrated the transformative power of mentorship, rigorous leadership training, and essential industry exposure in shaping the future leaders of Ghana. The strategic partnership between Agrihouse Foundation and FILMA serves as an exemplary model of how impactful development programs and proactive private-sector actors can truly collaborate to create scalable, people-centered, and lasting change.
