A student at Bunso Cocoa College has called for greater mentorship, exposure, and financial support for young people who want to build careers in agriculture, saying the sector offers rewarding opportunities for those willing to start small and grow.

Hamid Mohammed Shaban, a Level 200 Diploma in Agronomy and Extension student at Bunso Cocoa College, believes that many young people are discouraged from pursuing agriculture because they lack guidance and practical exposure to successful agribusinesses.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on why young people should invest in agriculture, Mr Shaban identified mentorship, exposure and access to finance as some of the biggest challenges facing aspiring agripreneurs.

Responding to a question on the obstacles young people are likely to face when entering agriculture or agribusiness, he said the first challenge is the lack of proper guidance.

“One is mentorship and exposure,” he said.

“The challenge with agriculture is that we keep saying young people should go into agriculture, but we should be honest with ourselves that people need to be guided. People need to be exposed.”

Mr Shaban credited the Agrihouse Foundation’s boot camp programme for changing his perception of the sector, saying the experience strengthened his passion for agriculture.

“If I didn’t have the opportunity with Agrihouse Foundation at the boot camp, I wouldn’t love what I’m doing as I do now. If I didn’t see what people were doing, I wouldn’t have this passion,” he explained.

He revealed that visiting large commercial farms opened his eyes to the financial rewards available in the industry.

“When I go to big farms, one thing I look out for is the kind of cars the CEOs and farm owners are driving. I’m not seeing regular corporate cars like Corollas. I’m seeing big trucks, Fords and really expensive vehicles, and those are my taste. Those are what I want.”

According to him, exposing young people to successful agribusinesses can transform negative perceptions and encourage more graduates to consider careers in the sector.

He also praised Agrihouse Foundation for its efforts in promoting youth participation in agriculture and appealed for greater support for the organisation.

“Young people need the exposure. Young people need to be mentored. Like what Agrihouse is doing, they are really doing a very good job, and I would like to use this opportunity to call for more support for them. They’ve been doing this for the ninth year, and they should be supported,” he said.

Mr Shaban identified access to finance as another major barrier, but advised young people not to wait until they have substantial funding before starting.

“Getting money to start agriculture is difficult. But it’s a challenge we can work around,” he said.

He encouraged aspiring agripreneurs to make use of whatever resources they have and build a track record before seeking financial assistance.

“I’d like to tell young people that nobody in Ghana will give you money without anything to show for it. So please, with the resources you have, start something. Even if it is a small half-acre, do it.”

He believes that demonstrating commitment and progress makes it easier to attract investors or lenders.

“If I have a little acre that I’m working on and I have pictures to show you, and I ask you for GH¢50,000 to scale up, with what you are seeing and with what I’ve invested my time and little resources into, I’m sure you would give it good consideration.”

Although financing remains a challenge, he insisted that determination and consistency can help young entrepreneurs overcome the obstacle.

“The challenge about finance is a challenge, but we can also work around it,” he added.

When asked why he chose to study Agronomy and Extension, Mr Shaban said he wanted to help farmers improve productivity and run their farms as profitable businesses rather than simply producing food for survival.

“I believe that most farmers are doing their part to feed Ghana, but there is a need for external support by experts,” he explained.

He said the programme equips students with the knowledge to educate farmers on modern agricultural practices and business management.

“With Agronomy and Extension, you’re able to educate farmers on what they need to do to consider agriculture as a business and not for sustenance.”

According to him, farmers who want to improve their livelihoods must adopt a commercial mindset.

“You can’t be farming and say that you want to get out of poverty and do it just to sustain yourself. You should consider it as a business. You should do cocoa farming the same way you would run your normal business.”

He explained that agronomy goes beyond planting and harvesting, covering every stage of crop production as well as farmer education and community development.

“It comes across with all the activities that you have to do and the training involved. It also extends to social responsibilities, such as helping women learn how to process cocoa butter and showing communities how they can make money from agricultural waste.”