SPEECH: ADDRESS BY THE DIRECTOR, PRESIDENTIAL INITIATIVES IN AGRICULTURE AND AGRIBUSINESS, OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AT THE AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION FOR AFRICA CONFERENCE (AIA CONFERENCE)

Theme: “African Youth Leveraging Innovation for Sustainable Food Systems”

Distinguished Chairperson, Honorable Ministers of State, Development Partners, Esteemed Farmers, Innovators, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Good morning.

I’m delighted to join you today at this important gathering — the Agricultural Innovation for Africa (AIA) Conference. I sincerely thank the organizers for the kind invitation and commend them for selecting a theme that captures both the urgency and opportunity of our time:
“African Youth Leveraging Innovation for Sustainable Food Systems.” This theme speaks deeply to me and, more importantly, to His Excellency John Dramani Mahama’s vision of placing young people at the centre of agricultural transformation. In Ghana, the youth considered passive beneficiaries of agricultural development, but as active architects of the reset and innovation of the sector. A closer look at our national agricultural landscape shows that every major government initiative today is youth-women-driven, innovation-led, and sustainability-focused — a clear reflection of our belief that the future of African agriculture rests firmly in the hands of its young people.

Youth-Centered Agricultural Vision

As an Agricultural Economist, I hold the believe that the development and the sustainability of our food systems will depend not only on innovation but on the ability of young Africans to lead productivity-driven innovation. The youth bring with them energy, creativity, digital fluency, risk affinity, and the willingness to experiment with modern technologies that can revolutionize how Africa produces, processes, and distributes food. That is why the Government of Ghana, under the leadership of His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, has placed young people at the very heart of agricultural policy and investment. Through deliberate, well-structured interventions, we are nurturing a new generation of agripreneurs who are turning farming into businesses.

When I look across Ghana and Africa, I am inspired by the youth already leading this charge, young innovators such as Alloysius Attah of Farmerline, who uses digital technology to connect thousands of farmers to information and markets; Akua Sarpong of Agrico Hub, empowering women and youth in agro-processing; Isaac Sesi of Sesi Technologies, whose grain moisture meter helps reduce post-harvest losses; and Nana Agyeman Prempeh of Grow For Me, creating a digital crowd-farming platform linking investors to farmers. I must also highlight Adu Ababio, a well-known Ghanaian poultry advocate and the founder of Tanta Farms, with the signature “Your Gentle Farmer.” He uses his platform to advocate for sustainable and profitable farming practices, educate fellow farmers, and raise awareness about the challenges within Ghana’s poultry industry, including exploitation and overreliance on imported frozen chicken. His work embodies the resilience, innovation, and leadership that define Ghana’s youth in agriculture. These are the kinds of brilliant minds we are supporting through PIAA, young Africans transforming agriculture from the ground up. Their stories prove that with the right support, innovation, and partnerships, our youth can drive the change we seek, become champions of a sustainable and food-secure Africa.

Key Youth-Focused Government Initiatives

Allow me to highlight a few of these initiatives, many of which are coordinated by the Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness (PIAA) at the Office of the President:

1. The School Farm Initiative (SFI): Designed to reintroduce practical agriculture in schools across Ghana, this initiative engages young students in food production, livestock rearing, and agribusiness training. It instills early agricultural interest and builds a pipeline of skilled young farmers ready to drive innovation.
2. The Youth Agriculture Estate Programme (YAEP):
   This programme establishes large-scale youth-managed estates for the cultivation of strategic crops such as maize, rice, soya, and vegetables, providing access to land, mechanization, credit, and markets for thousands of youth.
3. The Livestock and Poultry “Farm-to-Table” Project: A youth-led chain that links livestock rearing, processing, and distribution under a modernized value chain model, improving nutrition, creating jobs, and promoting agribusiness entrepreneurship.
4. The Coconut Seedlings Distribution Project: Supported by the Ghana EXIM Bank and the Coconut Federation, this project has opened thousands of youth-owned coconut farms, expanding Ghana’s position in global coconut production and value-added export markets.
5. The Red Gold (Palm Oil), Cashew and Shea Value Chain Initiatives: These initiatives engage women and youth-led SMEs in processing and value addition, transforming what used to be subsistence activities into structured, export-oriented enterprises. Few weeks ago, we hosted the World Shea Expo 2025 in Tamale bringing together over 2000 young men and women in the Shea value chain and over 200 women-led SMEs.
6. Youth in Cocoa Farming Initiative, in partnership with COCOBOD. This programme aims to empower young people to embrace cocoa cultivation as a profitable, technology-driven venture and to play a leading role in ensuring sustainable food security and agricultural transformation across Ghana.

Innovation as the Bridge to Sustainability

Innovation, whether through digital platforms, climate-smart agriculture, biotechnology, or precision farming, is the bridge that will connect youth participation to sustainable food systems. At the Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness Office, we are building that bridge through partnerships with educational institutions, the private sector, and development partners to introduce data-driven decision-making, drone technology, and agritech incubation hubs. We are not just empowering farmers; we are nurturing innovators, young Africans who are coding, engineering, and designing the next generation of solutions for Africa’s food security.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the future of Ghana’s agriculture will thrive on brilliant and innovative ideas used to transform the agricultural sector. From smart irrigation systems to the use of Artificial Intelligence in predicting crop yields, monitoring soil health, and managing farm operations, Few weeks ago I visited a dairy farm in Bulgaria, this farm was producing 3.5MT a day of animal feed (Trevomat) from 20ft by 40ft ( 800sqft) space to feed 200 cows  every single day and technology we are working to introduce to livestock farmers in Ghana. This is how technology can be used to redefine productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. The future of agriculture lies in our ability to blend traditional knowledge with modern science and technology. Inspired by this experience, I am pleased to announce that through the Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness (PIAA) at the Office of the President, we are exploring strategic partnerships with Ghana National Association of Cattle Farmers (GNACAF) to set up Model Farms with Trevomat units to serve as training hubs for existing and prospective cattle farmers, so to allow for the adoption of this modern intensive methods of raising cattle. This initiative will among other things help address a major socio-agro-economic problem of farmer-herder conflicts across the country, encourage our youth to harness modern tools to drive sustainable food security, boost agribusiness competitiveness, and create meaningful employment across the value chain. Together, we can connect Ghanaian innovation with global expertise, ensuring that the future of African agriculture is not only sustainable but powered by its own youth.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Africa’s youth represent both our present and our promise. The time has come to move beyond rhetoric and place technology, research, and entrepreneurship directly into the hands of our young people. Let us make agriculture profitable, attractive, and dignified a sector where innovation thrives and the youth lead. When we empower the youth, we secure the future. When we innovate in agriculture, we ensure sustainability. And when we combine both, we build a resilient, food-secure Africa

In conclusion, I wish to thank the organizers of the AIA Conference once again for this timely gathering. Government policies and programmes will be greatly inspired by the discussions that will take place at this conference and together with you through innovation and youth empowerment, we can transform Africa’s agricultural narrative from one of a potential to one of prosperity.

Thank you.

God bless you, God bless Ghana and bless our beloved Africa.