Kumasi: A total of 106 micro-businesses trained under the Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) programme have received $236,460.83 as start-up capital.

According to Ghana News Agency, the HAPPY Programme is a four-year initiative led by Agri-Impact, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, TechnoServe, and other governmental agencies, aiming to create 326,000 job opportunities for young people across Ghana.

The programme focuses on four core value chains: poultry, rice, soybean, and tomato, with a priority on supporting young women and persons with disabilities. The first cohort of the programme’s training beneficiaries received their start-up capital cheque during a graduation ceremony after completing a six-week entrepreneurship skills training in Kumasi.

The second cohort, consisting of 122 new micro-businesses, is set to begin their journey through the programme, where they will be supported through grants and access to market linkages. Furthermore, three agri-tech micro-businesses also completed the programme, reflecting the initiative’s emphasis on innovation and the adoption of agricultural technologies.

The two-day event was held under the theme ‘Pathways to Prosperity; Highlighting the Impact of Incubation Training and Grant Support.’ Nana Kofi Riverson, Head of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning at Agri-Impact, stated that the support would significantly aid businesses in the poultry, rice, soya, and tomato value chains. He noted the high youth unemployment rate in Ghana, emphasizing the importance of sustainable measures like the HAPPY Programme in providing relief.

Mr. Frank Obiora, Programmes Director at TechnoServe, expressed the partners’ commitment to building a supportive ecosystem for nurturing entrepreneurship, encouraging innovation, and promoting job creation. He believed the beneficiaries would become drivers of change, shaping Ghana’s agricultural landscape through their contributions.