BRIDGE-in Agriculture initiative targets young women to lead Ghana's agribusiness transformation

Government officials, private sector leaders, and young entrepreneurs gathered in Accra to launch BRIDGE-in Agriculture, a bold five-year initiative designed to transform Ghana’s agricultural sector.

The program aims to unlock finance for agri-based small and medium enterprises (agriSMEs), while providing skills training to create 400,000 work opportunities—70% of which are targeted at young women.

The initiative—Building Resilience and Investing in the Development and Growth of Entrepreneurs in Agriculture—is being implemented by CrossBoundary Advisory in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. It is delivered through a broad consortium including Access Bank, Ecobank, First National Bank, Fidelity Bank, Stanbic Bank, Zenith Bank, business development firms Africa Skills Hub and Mind Builders Africa, and technology provider Peswa.

“BRIDGE-in Agriculture represents the kind of strategic partnership that aligns with our government's vision to modernize agriculture, create jobs, and ensure food security,” said Hon. Eric Opoku, Minister for Food and Agriculture. “By focusing on young people and particularly young women, who are the backbone of our rural economies, this initiative supports our national strategy to build resilient agribusinesses, increase productivity, and drive inclusive economic growth. We are proud to support programs that empower our young people to succeed.”

Central to the initiative is a blended finance model through which the Mastercard Foundation provides capital to participating banks, enabling them to offer loans to agriSMEs at a 7% interest rate. Alongside financing, the program delivers free business development services to SMEs to enhance their sustainability and ability to generate jobs. This integrated approach aims to bridge Ghana’s over $5 billion SME financing gap—one of the major barriers hindering youth-led agribusinesses.

“The support I received from BRIDGE-in Agriculture provided me with the critical skills and capital I needed to expand my business,” said Yvonne Nuoriyee, founder of Edible Treats and runner-up in the BRIDGE-in Agriculture pitch competition. “With increased production, I’m now able to employ more young people (especially women) and offer them training to promote female economic empowerment.”

Launched in June 2023, BRIDGE-in Agriculture has already helped SMEs grow their operations and impacted more than 86,000 youth by creating new work opportunities, improving working conditions, and enhancing smallholder farmers’ livelihoods. Of the 72 loans disbursed so far, 42—or 58.3%—went to first-time borrowers, reflecting the program’s commitment to reaching underserved entrepreneurs.

“We are proud to lead a bold, innovative and ambitious program that is not only making finance more accessible for agribusinesses but also equipping young entrepreneurs with the skills they need to thrive,” said Fanta Conde, Program Lead for BRIDGE-in Agriculture and Managing Director at CrossBoundary Advisory. “By addressing the financing and capacity challenges facing youth, particularly women, we are helping to build a more modernized and resilient agricultural sector in Ghana.”

In addition to financing and training, the program organizes industry forums, policy roundtables, and networking events to promote collaboration among stakeholders in the agriculture finance ecosystem. Young entrepreneurs also benefit from pitch competitions and post-training grants to scale their ventures.

“Agriculture’s untapped potential in Ghana presents a powerful opportunity to create meaningful and dignified work for young people. Through BRIDGE-in Agriculture, we are supporting a collaborative model that connects young people—especially young women and persons with disabilities—with the resources and opportunities they need to build sustainable livelihoods,” said Rica Rwigamba, Country Director, Mastercard Foundation Ghana. “BRIDGE-in Agriculture directly contributes to our goal of enabling three million young Ghanaians to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.”