Welcome and Orientation Meeting for e-HAPPY Project

In a significant step towards revolutionizing Ghana's agricultural sector, e-HAPPY program held its inaugural welcome and orientation meeting for its first cohort of e-Agri-preneurs and Coding and Front-End Developers (COFED) training under the Harnessing Agricultural Prosperity and Productivity for Youth (HAPPY). E-HAPPY is a joint initiative by the Mastercard Foundation in partnership with Agri-Impact Limited and hosted by the KNUST E-Learning Centre and i-School Consult.

This is a joint initiative by the Mastercard Foundation in partnership with the Agri-Impact LImited and hosted by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) E-Learning Centre and I-School Consult

In his welcome address at the meeting, the e-HAPPY Project Lead, Prof. Nana Ewusi-Mensah of the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, KNUST, highlighted the overarching goal of the e-HAPPY training program which seeks to deepen the use of youth-led digital solutions in transforming Ghana's agri-food systems.

He emphasized that these digital solutions encompass the conceptualization, design, development, evaluation, and application of ICT tools for all actors along the agri-food value chains.

The firm has been instrumental in advising on the government's flagship One District One Factory program and provides training, mentorship, and development services.

Prof. Nana Ewusi-Mensah drew parallels with successful digital platforms like Bolt, Netflix, and Facebook to illustrate the transformative power of technology. He cited M-Farms in Kenya, Farmcrowdy in Nigeria, Farmers edge in the USA, as examples of how digital platforms can connect farmers with market information and buyers, thus eliminating middlemen and ensuring fair pricing.span>

He further encouraged participants to envision and explore dignified and fulfilling careers such as agriculture technology specialists, digital agriculture instructors, digital agriculture extension agents, researchers in digital agriculture, farm management consultants with a focus on digital solutions, and e-agriculture sales representatives.

Director of the KNUST E-Learning Centre, Prof. Eric Appau Asante, also congratulated the participants, highlighting the program's three pillars; E-Agri-preneur training, the Coding and Front-End Developers (COFED) training and HAPPYtech Ambassadors. He assured participants that the training would be hands-on and engaging, starting with an introduction to the learning management system developed specifically for the program. Prof. Eric Appau Asante assured participants that their expectations would be met through adherence to the program's structures.

Daniel Acquaye, Group CEO of Agri-Impact Limited, and Mrs. Juliana Asante Dartey, Deputy CEO, highlighted the program's goal to create jobs for 326,000 young people across Ghana over four years, focusing on the rice, soya, poultry, and tomato value chains. They stressed the importance of using digital innovations to transform agriculture and encouraged participants to identify business opportunities throughout the training.

Mrs. Dartey thanked the leadership of KNUST for partnering to bring the program to fruition. She reminded participants of the competitive nature of the selection process and urged them to make the most of the opportunity by identifying business ideas and applying their new skills. The orientation and welcome meeting concluded with a tour of the KNUST E-Learning Centre, showcasing the tools and equipment available to support the training, made possible by the Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor Mrs. Rita Akosua Dickson.

In attendance were Prof. Enoch Osekre, Dean Faculty of Agriculture and Prof. Christopher Antwi, Head, Department of Animal Science

Published: 23rd April, 2024 Source: KNUST E-Learning Centre