Agricultural students across Ghana converge for 9th career guidance and mentorship bootcamp

The 9th edition of the Agricultural Students Career Guidance and Mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp (AG-STUD Africa Bootcamp 2026) has officially commenced, bringing together students from agricultural colleges, farm institutes, and university agriculture departments across Ghana.

Organized by the Agrihouse Foundation, dubbed “Enabling and Establishing The Agri-Youth To Feed Ghana“, the week-long bootcamp aims to equip young people with practical skills, mentorship, and capacity-building opportunities to strengthen their participation in agribusiness and agricultural development.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, said the programme is designed to empower the next generation of agricultural leaders by exposing them to the full agribusiness value chain while creating pathways for employment, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

“This bootcamp is about preparing young people to become leaders in agriculture by providing them with practical exposure, industry connections, and opportunities to develop innovative solutions that can transform the sector,” she noted.

This year’s edition places special emphasis on the government’s Feed Ghana Initiative and the Farmers Service Centre Programme under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Participants will develop and pitch solutions on how the Farmers Service Centre concept can be implemented sustainably and contribute effectively to the success of the Feed Ghana agenda.

Meanwhile, Qualiplast Ghana Limited⁠ has pledged its support for the next generation of agricultural professionals through its partnership with the bootcamp.

Speaking at the opening session, Andrea Akl, Deputy General Manager of Qualiplast Ghana Limited, described the initiative as a timely intervention aimed at bridging the gap between classroom learning and industry realities.

“This is the first year that we are partnering with Agrihouse Foundation to support this bootcamp. Agriculture is one of the key industries in Ghana, and it is important that we start with students because they are the next generation of agricultural experts,” she stated.

She explained that the programme offers students a unique opportunity to engage with industry players, visit farms and manufacturing facilities, and gain practical exposure to the agricultural value chain.

According to her, many young people possess innovative ideas with strong market potential and deserve the support needed to transform those ideas into successful ventures.

“A lot of students come with very good ideas. They know what they want to do, and they have solutions that can work in the market. Our role as industry players is to listen to them and support them in turning those ideas into reality,” she added.

Qualiplast further announced its readiness to provide mentorship, internship placements, national service opportunities, and professional guidance to participants beyond the bootcamp.

One of the participants, Hamid Mohammed Shaban, a student of Bunso Cocoa College in the Eastern Region, said the knowledge, exposure, and networking opportunities gained during last year’s bootcamp inspired him to return for the 9th edition.

Speaking on the sidelines of the programme, Shaban highlighted the practical benefits of the bootcamp, including interactions with key industry players, factory visits, mentorship sessions, and training in essential soft skills.

“The bootcamp has been very impactful. We’ve learned a lot, networked with key industry players, gained hands-on experiences at factories, and developed important soft skills such as communication and teamwork,” he said.

According to him, last year’s edition equipped participants with pitching and presentation skills while helping them transform innovative ideas into practical business concepts through mentorship and guidance.

“We were nurtured by mentors to bring our ideas to life. We also visited different companies and learned how agriculture operates across the value chain, from fertilizer production to agribusiness operations,” he added.

Looking ahead to this year’s edition, Shaban expressed optimism about the opportunities available to participants, particularly engagements with policymakers and industry stakeholders.

“We are looking forward to building ourselves, improving our skills, networking with students from different institutions, and creating lasting relationships that will help us make meaningful contributions to agriculture and national development,” he stated.

The 9th Career Guidance and Mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp has brought together agricultural students from across the country for a week-long programme focused on mentorship, entrepreneurship, leadership development, innovation, and agribusiness growth, reaffirming the commitment of stakeholders to nurturing the future of Ghana’s agricultural sector.