Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) and the Mastercard Foundation have organised a series of zonal pitches across the Northern, Middle and Southern belts of Ghana in a lead-up to the Final competition for the 2024 AgriTech Challenge Classic.

The AgriTech Challenge Classic is a seven-month training program aimed at developing the interest and building the mindset of students and young graduates to ultimately drive systemic change in Ghana’s agriculture sector.

Attracting students or graduates from 16 regions nationwide, working in teams, these young people pitch groundbreaking agribusiness and agritech ideas to a panel of ideation team members.

Prior to the Zonal Pitches, the first pitches were organised at the campus level.

The pitch competition for the Northern Zone took place from October 28-29, 2024, featuring participants from the University of Development Studies; Bolgatanga Technical University; SD Dombo University for Business and Integrated Development Studies; C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences and Damango Agricultural College.

The Middle Zonal Pitch was held from October 30-31, 2024, with the Kwame Nkrumah Science and Technology serving as host, featuring tertiary institutions such as the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Kwadaso Agricultural College, Akenten Appiah-Menka University for Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), and Ejura Agricultural College and Mechanization Centre.

The Southern Zonal Pitch took place from October 31 to November 1, with the University of Ghana, Takoradi Technical University, Ho Technical University,  Koforidua Technical University, OHAWU Agricultural College and the University of Cape Coast.

Speaking at this year’s program, Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, Executive Director, KIC said: “KIC’s commitment to supporting young people with capacity building in entrepreneurship within the agricultural sector is in line with our organisation’s mission to provide employment and economic empowerment for young people.”

 “At KIC, we remain dedicated to fostering an environment where the ideas  of young agri innovators can thrive, providing them with the necessary resources, mentorship, and opportunities to scale their solutions, he added”

 As a build-up to the pitches, participants were trained in core areas, including business strategy, product development, marketing, personal discovery and team effectiveness, and market research tours, among others. 

At the end of the Zonal Pitches, 64 teams from across the country will progress to the final pitch competition to take place from November 27 to 29 at KNUST.

Through the AgriTech Challenge, KIC and its partners provide the youth with the right exposure to the agriculture value chain, and networking opportunities to build and grow viable solutions to Ghana’s key agricultural challenges.