YOUTHS IN AGRICULTURE
This program will be broadly strategic while being progressive and will aim at encouraging the youth to choose and be fully engaged with agriculture /agro-processing.
The areas to be explored are:
- Proactive and targeted publicity of youth agricultural/agro-processing programs.
- Use youth celebrity programs like Malika, Ghana’s most beautiful, youth reality shows etc. to promote agriculture / agro-processing. This can be achieved by the participants enacting current agricultural / agro-processing practices in their various regions / communities; how they can be improved and the effect improvements will have on the communities and the country.
- Reality Shows on Youth In Agriculture / Agro-processing involving the following areas
i) Monitoring the progress of youth placed on farms and agro-processing plants.
ii) Farm / agro-processing projects initiated by the youth
iii) Specific projects (challenges) set up to unearth the potential of the youth in agriculture and agro-processing.
AREAS/COMMUNITIES TO BE TARGETTED
- School
- Communities
- Unemployed youth
Schools:
Most schools in Ghana teach academic (text book) agriculture/agro-processing where students learn mainly in the class room. There are no practical farms/agro-processing plants or visits to such practical concerns. LAMKOTET’S model will select schools for sponsorship to operate their own farms and agro-processing units on a commercial basis. Where possible, hostels will be provided to allow other schools to also undertake practical studies at such schools.
Community Farms:
These are commercial youth farms/agro-processing plants operated at the community level.
Unemployed Youth Farms/Agro-processing Units:
This model will not be affiliated to any school or community. The target group will be the vast numbers of unemployed youth throughout the country. They will be selected to a particular farm or agro-processing unit for practical/commercial training.
NOTE
In all three models the following will apply:
- The “Apprentice” system widely practiced in Ghana with some level of theory will be used.
- Basic carpentry, masonry, electrical, and metal fabrication will be thought.
- A few of the best students will either be helped to set up their own farms/agro-processing units or grouped to set up.
- Partners will be sought to offer attractive prizes and awards to the best students.
- Lamkotet will encourage/assist the youth in developing/ improving innovative ideas in agriculture and agro-processing