An agricultural mechanisation programme launched by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is creating new employment opportunities for young people while helping farmers increase productivity in their communities.
The Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) programme is focused on equipping young entrepreneurs with machinery, technical skills, and business support to provide mechanised services to local farmers.
According to AGRA, the programme is designed to address rising youth unemployment while promoting modern and efficient farming methods across the agricultural sector.
For many years, farming activities in rural communities have depended largely on manual labour, making farming slow, difficult, and less productive.
Through the YEFFA programme, young people are being trained and supported to own and operate agricultural machinery to improve efficiency and reduce the burden on farmers.
As part of a field visit, the AGRA team toured several youth-led businesses benefiting from the initiative, including Kodu Technology, producers of sanitary pads, and Marvmay Limited, a catering services company.
The team also visited farmers Humamatu Zakaria and Rukaya Ibrahim, who said the support received under the programme has significantly improved their farming activities.
“We used to struggle with farming because most of the work was done manually, but now things are much easier for us,” Humamatu Zakaria said.
Rukaya Ibrahim added, “The machinery support and training have helped us expand our farms and improve production.”
Another beneficiary, Hajia Alhassan Memuna, said the initiative has helped her increase production levels and create employment opportunities for others in her community.
“Through this project, I have been able to improve my business and employ more young people. It has changed many lives in our community,” she said.
Project Coordinator Ellison Owusu Fordjour described the programme as sustainable and impactful, but appealed to the government and other stakeholders to continue supporting young entrepreneurs to establish and grow their businesses.
“This project is not only supporting agriculture but also creating decent jobs for young people. With more government support, many youth can establish successful agribusinesses and contribute to national development,” he stated.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com