A total of forty-four (44) youth have undergone a two-week (2) capacity-enhancement session in vegetable production. This is the second cohort of participants to receive the training by the Education Pillar of the UG Nkabom Collaborative. The training took place at the University of Ghana Vegetable Centre of Excellence andcomprised theoretical and practical sessions to ground participants in climate-smart and indigenous vegetable production practices.

Speaking at the commencement of the training, the Pillar Lead, Dr. Hayford Ayerakwa, highlighted the value of the intervention. “This initiative, Adwuma Pa, is a critical effort to address the skills and knowledge gap required for a transformative, youth-driven agri-food landscape.”

Dr. Ayerakwa also noted that such an intervention was a game-changer for holistically tackling threats to food security. “We anticipate that not only will the youth gain the relevant skills to begin their own agri-businesses, but also, in the near future, this crop of youth will embark on sustainable farming practices that will enhance Ghana’s food security,” he intimated.

Over the course of the training, participants were taken through seed preparation, nursery establishment, and vegetable cultivation. Other critical topics explored were pest and disease management, soil fertility and irrigation, greenhouse operations, and agri-business management.

A participant shared how beneficial they found the training, noting, “Previously, I farmed based on experience, but now I have been taught the professional ways of farming.”

For another, the training had provided the confidence to venture into vegetable production. “Having been here for the past two weeks, I must say, I feel confident to start my own agri-business venture, and I know I will succeed because I now have the requisite knowledge and skills.”

As part of the experiential session, participants embarked on study tours to Farmer Nii and Farmer’s Touch, two commercial vegetable production and sales sites.

On the horizon, Cohort Three (3) is expected to roll out in 2026, with plans to introduce new modules in intensive poultry and livestock production and link participants to mentorship and financing opportunities through the Collaborative’s Entrepreneurship Pillar.

The Vegetable Production Short-Course Programme, a key initiative of the experiential learning prong of the Education Pillar, is being run in partnership with the Life-Long Development Lab under the College of Education, University of Ghana. It envisions empowering young people with employable skills in vegetable production and related value chains, thereby contributing to job creation and food systems transformation — the overarching goal of the Nkabom Collaborative’s agenda.