The 2020 edition of the Agric Students Career Guidance and Mentorship Dialogue boot camp (AG-STUD), scheduled to take place on  March l0 to 13 at the Coconut Groove Hotel, Sakumono, has been launched in Accra.

The programme is aimed at nurturing and mentoring students to venture into agriculture to give them the exposure and capacity they need to become agro businessmen and women in the future.

 Under the theme: Growing Futures: Establishing the Agric Youth,  the four-day programme would have in attendance over 60 participants with activities like field visits, mentorship, seminar, training, capacity building and pitching competition. Various topics will be selected for pitching based on students' agribusiness area of interest. Winners of the competition would be provided with agri-materials and funding to start up their own businesses.

This was announced in Accra by the CEO of Agri House Foundation, Alberta Nana Akosa.

She said the Agricultural Students' Career Guidance & Mentorship Dialogue boot camp since its launch two years ago, has attracted a lot of commendation from the government and industry players.

He revealed that the initiative by Agrihouse Foundation is in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

The agricultural boot camp is designed to inspire and grow agric students, beginner agribusinesses and start-ups in the entire value chain of agriculture, while also exposing them to the dynamics of the market through education and leadership programmes essential for achieving success in agriculture and agribusiness.

The programme also inculcates leadership values in the yoUth, as well as best farm management skills in these beginner farmers.

According to her, Agrihouse Foundation is further reinforcing the sustained growth and development of the agric student by setting up Business Club Units in the institutions as another important part of the programme.

The Business Club Units comprise of a team of 15 students and representatives of corporate organisations who adopt and mentor the students throughout their journey.

The Club Units function as agribusinesses, led by a Managing Director with floor members. The units implement various models to nine schools are participating and would have the opportunity to present pitches in a business plan competition for a prize at the end of the boot camp.

The participating schools already have the business club units up and running at their various institutions with active social media handles where updates on their businesses and challenges are posted regularly.

The University of Ghana, Legon, is one such institutions with a business club.

Deputy Consular of the Serbian Embassy, Mr Charles Annan, commended the management of Agri House Foundation for coming out with a programme that seeks to stimulate passion among the youths in the agric sector.

He said the Serbian government has a lot of scholarship opportunities including agric, which according to the participants will have the opportunity to benefit from agricultural exchange programmes available.

He advised the participants to take the programme serious to get the required benefits.