The sixth edition of the annual Agricultural Students’ Career Guidance & Mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp (AGSTUD Africa BOOTCAMP), organized by Agrihouse Foundation has opened today, in Accra.
Focused on the theme, “5 years of Grooming, Training and Empowerment- Where we are now with our Agribusiness,” competence-based training and capacity building sessions of the 5-day bootcamp will take place in Accra daily, at the GNAT Conference Hall.
The camp is hosting two hundred and thirty-three (233) agric students, agribusiness beginners, and agriculture enthusiasts, from thirty-three agric colleges, universities and senior high schools, across the country.
In the 5-day period, beneficiaries will be groomed, mentored and trained in hands-on Capacity-Building sessions, aimed at equipping them to with knowledge and skills that will enable them to establish sustainable agri-businesses in their schools and within their communities.
The bootcamp, will also make room for the beneficiaries to participate in corporate field tours, aimed at familiarizing them with different kinds of agribusiness operations in the country; to ask questions and striking business opportunities with the agribusiness owners.
The Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa has noted that, while in the last five (5) years, the bootcamp has directly groomed, trained and empowered about 1,200 beneficiaries, and indirectly, about 2,500 participants, this year’s event is mainly focusing on taking stock of progress made, and celebrating the success stories of the young agripreneurs.
“We are bringing on board all past students and agribusiness beginners who have participated in AGSTUD Bootcamp, in the last the 5-year, to share their success stories; especially the impacts AGSTUD Bootcamp has had on their lives and on their agribusinesses,” she stress.
While the event will track progress and celebrate achievements of the alumni, the Executive Director said, it would also be an opportunity to further inspire and empower participants with the intentionally designed line-up of activity, aimed at helping them uncover further their untapped agribusiness potentials.
AGRI-GROWTH, scheduled for day (1), allows the beneficiaries to share the progress of their group and individual agribusinesses; impacts they are chalking, as well as challenges they are overcoming.
AGRI-TED TALKS, also a day one (1), session makes room for Industry Leaders like Nana Otuo Sirebuo, and Mr. Akwesi Appiah, to share their career journey’s, experiences, and business Do’s and Don’ts with the young agripreneursl; to provide inspire and empowerment, as well as education about the agricultural market, and principles needed to sustain agribusiness startups.
AGRI-INSPIRE AND MIND-SET SHAPING SESSION, on day two (2) allows for more public and private Industry leaders to engage the students in open conversations that highlight social and agribusiness related issues. The interactive session is designed to allow the students ask questions that aligns with the business plans for their agribusiness startups.
AG-VOYAGE, on day three (3), takes the agri-students on tour, into corporate organizations where they get to familiarize themselves with business operates; ask questions, and engage with business owners, some of which have led to internships and employment for some of the campers. The tour also helps the young agripreneurs to learn and plan for economic stability and build structures for their startup enterprises.
AGRI–BOOSTER, on day four (4) is a Business Building Directional Session, aimed at helping the young agripreneurs lay the right foundations for their startups. With support from their mentors and coaches, they fine-tune their agribusiness proposals to make them workable, sustainable and commercially viable. They engage in run-through presentations to help them perfect their business pitching skills towards the final presentation, the next day.
AGRI-VALUE, on day five (5) celebrates from Source to Solutions, by giving the students the opportunity to present their final business proposals to a panel of judges. The Judges assess the strengths and loopholes of the business plans and make recommendations to better the business idea. The students are presented starter-packs to help them start their businesses.
A number of high profiled speakers are gracing the event, including the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Yaw Frimpong-Addo who will be delivering the Keynote motivational Address at the opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony will also host the Former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Fifi Kwetey, who is expected to lead an AgriTed Talk on theme, “Activating Your Purpose through Self-Realization.”
The 2022 National Best Farmer, Nana Yaw Sarpong Siriboe, also will be leading a TedTalk on the theme, Developing and Managing your Agribusiness and Organizational Structures.
The Managing Director of LK International, Madam Nora Goa, will be speaking on the theme, “Agribusiness, Innovations and Market Identification Development,” to educate the students on measures to put in place as they consider agribusiness structures for their enterprises.
Mr. Ebenezer Acheampong, Senior Elder of the Church of Pentecost (Ghana), will also be empowering the students with a financial Talk, on the topic, The Gospel and Discipline of Financial Management.”
Former Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, (MOFA), Mr. Kwesi Boamah, who will be engaging the beneficiaries during the AG-VOYAGE Tour, has described the session as necessary, as it familiarizes the young agripreneurs with agribusiness operations.
Other esteemed resource persons from organizations including, Agrimonti, Naanam Ventures, FDA, GEPA, AGRA, KL International, MOFA, CPC, GIPC, NPRA, ADB, Dizengoff, OCP Ghana, Carbon AV, CPC, Broadspectrum Ghana, Blue Skies, Mastercard Foundation, Newmont, and Yara Ghana, will be leading the training and capacity building sessions for the 5-day period.
They will train, mentor and coach the campers through thematic focuses on Communication, E-Agric, Food Safety Management principles, attractive and limitless investment Agric opportunities, digital marketing, financial proposal development, Do’s and Dont’s in building an Agribusiness and saving the agri-future through talents and creativity and many more.
Corporate organizations supporting this year’s bootcamp includes, Agronomoti Ghana Limited, Holland Akokor, Cocoa Processing Company, Nanaam Ventures, B-diet, Kofi Venyo Ventures, WAF Agro, FDA, Dizengoff Ghana Limited, Agric Development Bank (ADB).
Collaborating partners are, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Human Resource Department of the MOFA, and National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association (NFFAWAG).
The bootcamp has received media support from UNIIQ FM, Y FM
