MTN Ghana Foundation, University of Ghana’s Faculty of Agriculture and Defarmercist Group have visited the University of Ghana farms to assess ongoing works at the Vegetable Centre of Excellence within the Department of Crop Science.

The project, an initiative of the MTN Ghana Foundation, broke ground in May 2025 and is expected to be handed over by the end of the year.

Once completed, the Centre of Excellence will train more than 300 beneficiaries in modern farming techniques, agribusiness and sustainable agricultural practices.

Students will gain practical skills in crop management, irrigation systems and sustainable farming methods.

Beyond students, the program will extend opportunities to unemployed youth and smallholder farmers who wish to scale up their farms and enterprises.

Leading the inspection, Adwoa Wiafe, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Ghana, praised the progress made within just five months.

She said, “This Centre is not only about food production; it’s about shaping the future of agriculture in Ghana. We want to empower students and young people with the tools and expertise to build businesses in farming.

"Too many graduates leave school with theoretical knowledge but without practical experience. Here, they will gain hands-on training that turns knowledge into opportunity”.

“The University of Ghana’s students will be the first major beneficiaries, but this project goes beyond one institution. Our vision is to create a model that can be replicated nationwide, supporting Ghana’s efforts to combat youth unemployment and contribute to food security.

"Agriculture remains the backbone of our economy, and this Centre demonstrates how it can be modernised, mechanised and sustainable”, she added.

Samuel Agyemang, Co-Founder of Defarmercist Group, highlighted how the Centre will make agriculture more appealing to the youth.

“We are introducing smart solutions like automated irrigation and greenhouse systems that make farming less labour-intensive.

"The students will see how technology transforms farming into a profitable and sustainable business. By the time they graduate, they will not be job seekers but job creators, ready to drive agribusiness innovation”, he emphasised.

Currently, the project is about seventy per cent complete. Key facilities that have been installed at the Centre include solar panels, three greenhouse structures, a fully equipped training room and offices.

Training modules will cover areas such as seedling nursing, smart irrigation installation and scheduling, transplanting, fertigation management, pest and disease control, and post-harvest handling.

The project is currently running as a two-year pilot, after which its impact will be assessed for possible expansion and replication nationwide.