A student of Bunsu Cocoa College, Hamid Mohammed Shaban, is encouraging young people to rethink their approach to agriculture, insisting that success in the sector does not depend on owning farmland.
According to him, agriculture offers a wide range of business opportunities beyond traditional farming, and young entrepreneurs can build profitable ventures by identifying challenges within their communities and providing practical solutions.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show during a discussion on why young people should invest in agribusiness, Mr Shaban said there is no single agricultural venture that guarantees success. Instead, he advised aspiring entrepreneurs to focus on opportunities that exist within their immediate environment.
Asked where the biggest opportunities lie for young people entering the sector, he noted that every successful agribusiness owner tends to believe their own area of operation is the most profitable.
“It is very difficult to point to one specific area and tell a young person to go into it,” he said. “Through my experience with Agrihouse, I have visited many successful farms and agricultural enterprises, from crop and animal production to service providers. Everyone with a success story believes the area they are in is profitable.”
Mr Shaban urged young people to start with the resources already available to them, especially given the challenges involved in raising capital for agricultural ventures.
“I would advise young people to look around their environment and identify what is available to them. Accessing resources to start an agricultural business can be difficult, so begin with what you already have,” he said.
He explained that opportunities vary across different parts of the country. In cocoa-growing communities, for instance, young people can explore businesses such as seedling production, pruning services and other support activities within the cocoa value chain. Similarly, those living in pineapple-growing areas or cassava-producing regions can build enterprises around those crops.
“If you are in a cocoa-growing area, consider opportunities in seedling production or pruning services. If you’re around Nsawam and pineapple farming is common, explore that. If you’re in the Volta Region and cassava is abundant, look at opportunities there. The important thing is to start with what is available in your area,” he said.
Mr Shaban also challenged the long-standing belief that agriculture is only for those who own land.
“There is a saying that the closer you are to the soil in agriculture, the poorer you become. Young people need to look beyond that. Agriculture is not just about owning a farm. There are many ways to make money in the sector without having farmland,” he stressed.
He identified post-harvest losses as one of the major challenges that presents significant opportunities for young entrepreneurs.
Citing reports of unsold maize in northern Ghana, he suggested that organised youth groups could purchase produce directly from farmers, transport it to other markets and create value while generating income.
“You make money by solving people’s problems,” he said. “Young people should look at the challenges farmers face and think about how they can provide solutions. Working together makes it easier because doing it alone can be difficult.”
He encouraged young people to form groups, build trust within their communities and collaborate to mobilise resources and support for their businesses.
“Come together, buy produce from farmers, transport it and connect it to markets. You do not need to own a farm before you can earn an income from agriculture,” he added.
Mr Shaban believes negative perceptions about agriculture persist largely because many young people are not exposed to the sector’s business potential.
“I think the image of agriculture as sweaty work done in tattered clothes comes from a lack of visibility and education. People are not being taught that agriculture is not only about survival. It is also a serious business opportunity,” he said.
He commended Agrihouse Foundation for exposing participants to real-life agribusiness experiences rather than limiting learning to the classroom.
“Agrihouse did not just lecture us about agriculture. They took us to large farms and introduced us to people who are successfully running agriculture as a business,” he said.
According to him, many young people only encounter small-scale farmers and therefore fail to see the broader economic opportunities available within the industry.
“With the right exposure, training, knowledge and mentorship, perceptions about agriculture will change,” he said.
He also criticised attitudes within the education system that portray farming activities as punishment.
“In many schools, whenever a student misbehaves, they are sent to weed. That creates the impression that agriculture is punishment, but it is not,” he noted.
Reflecting on his experience at an agricultural boot camp, Mr Shaban said he was surprised to discover how many successful and financially secure people are working in agriculture without fitting the stereotypes often associated with the sector.
“I realised there are people making significant money in agriculture, but you would never know it by looking at them. If you judge agriculture solely by sweat and worn-out clothes, you will be mistaken. The sector has changed tremendously,” he said.