Campus to campus: Empowering future agripreneurs through e-learning

From the bustling streets of Accra to the agricultural heart of Techiman, and further to the peaceful, mountainous terrain of Kwahu, the Agri-Business Facility for Africa (ABF) project embarked on a four-week Agribusiness e-Academy Road Tour garnering over 500 young people across Ghana in October. The mission was clear: to inspire and equip the next generation of agripreneurs by providing students, educators, and aspiring farmers with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the growing agribusiness sector. Through the Agribusiness e-Academy, ABF aims to engage youth and women, in agribusiness by offering accessible, flexible, and engaging learning opportunities.

The road tour themed, "Empowering Future Agripreneurs through E-learning", engaged five key institutions: Valley View University, Presbyterian University-Ghana, Bunso Cocoa College, Christian Agricultural College, and Agricultural Technical Institute. At each stop, students, lecturers, and budding agripreneurs had the opportunity to engage in interactive discussions, learn about the significance of agribusiness education, and explore the range of free, self-paced, and self-tutored online courses offered by the Agribusiness e-Academy.

During the tour, the team selected a group of Agribusiness e-Academy Ambassadors, motivated young leaders who will help amplify the mission of the academy by creating on-campus community to encourage other youth to engage with its resources.

It also provided the opportunity to explore the potential of integrating Agribusiness e-Academy courses into school curricula as an add-on knowledge and skills necessary for student aspiring to pursue future careers in agriculture.

Prof. John Adu Kumi, Dean of Presbyterian University-Ghana, highlighted the significance of agribusiness e-learning for both students and educators. He emphasised, "The success of our re-thinking exercise, especially through the Agribusiness e-Academy, should be reflected in how well it equips participants to act as ambassadors, seamlessly integrating their classroom learning with real-world agribusiness scenarios."

He further added that the practical skills gained through the e-Academy would not only boost employability but also open new doors in the agribusiness sector. "It is crucial that we encourage more students and staff to enrol, not just for the certificate but for the real-world knowledge they will acquire," he said.

A student from Bunso Cocoa College, Moses Anaba, reflected, "The Agribusiness e-Academy tour was very productive and eye-opening for many of us. After taking the course, I realized that farming is no longer just about growing crops; it’s a business."

Nyarko Yaa Sarkodie, another student, expressed her appreciation for the e-learning platform, saying, "The Agribusiness e-Academy courses are comprehensive, well-structured, and easy to access. I was impressed by the variety of courses offered, from agricultural economics to farm management. What stood out most was the emphasis on practical skills and real-world applications, especially through the use of 3D cartoon videos. I would definitely recommend these courses to anyone interested in agribusiness." She also suggested incorporating sign language into the courses to make them more inclusive for people with hearing impairments.

The Agribusiness e-Academy Road Tour is an initiative of Agri-Business Facility for Africa (ABF), a project co-financed by the European Union under the Samoa agreement with OACPS and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ.