The Member of Parliament (MP) for South Tongu, Maxwell Kwame Lukutor, has launched the “Green Scholars Project” to promote youth participation in agriculture.
The launch held at his alma mater, the Sogakope Senior High School (SOGASCO), brought together key stakeholders, including the District Chief Executive (DCE), Victoria Dzeklo; the South Tongu District Director of Education, Celestine Korsi-Agordo; the District Director of Agriculture, heads of all five senior high schools in the district, and representatives from basic schools across the district.
The Green Scholars Project, being implemented by the Maxwell Lukutor Foundation (MLF), is designed to introduce students to practical hands-on experience on the agriculture field at an early stage.
Support
At the launch last Friday, Mr Lukutor said under the initiative, every participating school with access to arable land would benefit from free ploughing of up to 10 acres of farmland.
In addition, the project will build the skills of the students, encourage entrepreneurship, promote food security and prepare the youth for future opportunities.
“We want our students to see agriculture not as a last resort, but as a viable and profitable career path,” the MP stated.
Outlining the long-term vision of the Green Scholars, Mr Lukutor said it would help raise a generation of young people in South Tongu who are skilled, innovative and passionate about agriculture.
It would also help to transform school farms into learning hubs and production centres as well as contribute to reducing unemployment and improving livelihoods in our communities.
Call to action
Mr Lukutor called on school authorities to fully embrace the initiative and ensure active student participation, while urging the students to embrace the opportunity seriously because “this is your chance to learn, grow and build a future”.
The South Tongu MP also entreated the directorates of agriculture and education to continue providing technical guidance and also integrate practical agriculture more strongly into school activities.
Mr Lukutor expressed appreciation to the Group Chairman of IPMC Ghana, Amar Deep Hari, for supporting the initiative with a harrow valued at $15,000, a contribution he described as critical to the success of the programme.
He also commended the ML Foundation for procuring the tractor and other essential equipment to drive the project.
The DCE for the area, Ms Dzeklo encouraged students to actively embrace the initiative, stressing the importance of agriculture in ensuring food security.
The Coordinator of Tractor Services for ML Foundation, Gustav Adomah, commended the MP for extending the project to secondary schools.
He emphasised that the initiative presented a valuable opportunity for students to acquire practical skills that could shape their future careers and livelihoods, and advised students to take the project seriously and make the most of it.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh