Alberta Obeng, a final-year BSc Agribusiness student at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), has emerged as the winner of the Input Dealer Business Deal Pitch at the just-ended 8th Agricultural Students Career Guidance and Mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp (AG-STUD Africa), organized by Agrihouse Foundation in Accra.
Remarkably, this marks the second consecutive year that a student from UENR has clinched the top prize in this highly competitive category, reinforcing the university’s growing reputation as a breeding ground for future agribusiness leaders.
Held under the theme “Our Voices Matter: We Hold the Agrifood Future,” this year’s AG-STUD Bootcamp brought together over 130 students from across the country. The six-day immersive programme featured practical learning sessions, field trips, business pitch competitions, mentorship sessions, aimed at transforming participants into future-ready agripreneurs and leaders in the agricultural value chain.
Eight (8) agribusiness students competed in the Input Dealer Business Deal Pitch, a competition designed to evaluate how well participants could develop, manage, and sustain an agribusiness input dealer shop in their respective communities. Alberta Obeng emerged as the overall winner, impressing the judges with her practical, scalable, and sustainable business concept.
As part of her prize, she will receive support to establish an input dealer shop in her home community, which will serve as a resource hub for local farmers and contribute to broader food systems development.
Students from Central University also excelled in the Beginner Group Presentation category and will be awarded seed capital to kickstart their agribusiness ventures.
In her remarks, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, congratulated the winners and all participating students, reiterating the Foundation’s long-term commitment to empowering the next generation of agripreneurs.
“We are proud to be shaping the future of Ghana’s agriculture by investing in young people who are passionate, driven, and ready to lead,” she said. “Through this platform, we are supporting students to transition from academia into entrepreneurship, while directly contributing to the government’s goal of expanding input dealer shops in rural communities for accessibility and convenience.”
She emphasized that over the past eight years, the AG-STUD Bootcamp has impacted more than 7,000 young people nationwide, helping them to transform ideas into viable agribusiness ventures. The program also serves as a bridge, linking agribusiness companies with fresh graduates and creating career pathways for youth in agriculture.
She also expressed gratitude to key partners and sponsors whose unwavering support has helped to make the bootcamp a success, including FILMA, ADB, Rainbow Agrosciences Ltd., Portal PB Trade and Commodity Ltd., ADDFRA, KIVO, Ahodwo Farms, Nanam Ventures, Labianca Company Ltd., and AgriWatchGH News.
For her part, Alberta Obeng expressed profound gratitude to Agrihouse Foundation for the platform and opportunity.
“As a final-year student, this bootcamp has been transformative,” she said. “Winning the Input Dealer Pitch has reinforced my belief in the power of agriculture to drive sustainable development in Ghana. I am excited to turn this vision into reality and make a meaningful impact in my community.”
She further noted that the pitching process was both challenging and inspiring, providing her with valuable feedback and exposure that will guide her next steps as a young agripreneur.
Throughout the week-long bootcamp, participants were engaged in a series of rotational learning experiences, including visits to media houses, fertilizer companies, agribusiness firms, and farms. These practical experiences allowed them to gain firsthand insights from seasoned professionals across the agrifood value chain.
Highlights included visits to JoyNews, Unique FM, and Angel Broadcasting Network, as well as farm sessions and engagements with industry players such as Rainbow Agrosciences, OCP Africa, ADDFRA, Yara Ghana, ADB, Agromonti, and Ransboat Farms . Participants also engaged in a strategic session with Dr. Peter Otokunor, Director of the Presidential Initiative on Agriculture and Agribusiness, at the Office of the President Annex.
