93 young entrepreneurs from 5 institutions—Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ejura Agricultural College and Mechanisation Centre, Kwadaso Agricultural College, and Akenten Appiah-Menkah University—are engaged in a pitch competition to progress to the next stage of the Agritech Challenge.
With support from the Mastercard Foundation, the Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC) Agritech Challenge Zonal Pitch 2024 provided each team with 3,500 Ghana cedis for market research.
Through this funding, teams collaborate with individual partners to gain valuable insights for their business ventures, aiming to tackle critical challenges across agricultural value chains in Ghana and Africa.
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Out of the 93 teams, 24 will be chosen to represent Ghana’s Middle Belt in the national competition. Terence Tienaah, Program Manager at KIC, expressed enthusiasm about the participants’ energy and creativity, encouraging those who may not advance to stay motivated, as other opportunities await them.
“The reception has been excellent; the energy is high, and the ideas are impressive. Many are reimagining existing ideas in new directions, addressing current gaps. These fresh ideas show great potential, not only creating jobs but also expanding opportunities for others, boosting revenue, and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
Those who don’t qualify for the next stage still have our full support. We offer other pathways, such as the Fellowship Community, which provides a safe and supportive space for young people interested in agricultural entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation. Here, we continue sharing information and building their skills," she explained.
"They can still access all the training sessions and receive technical support from our team. While not everyone may become an entrepreneur, the skills they gain here open up valuable job opportunities across the value chain. It’s inspiring to see participants take ownership and engage actively," she added.
Prof. James Osei Mensah, Associate Professor of Agribusiness at the Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, and Extension at KNUST and program advisor, commended the participants for their dedication.
“The teams have invested significant time, energy, and effort to reach this point. Qualifying for the Zonal Pitch is a testament to their hard work, and we hope the best teams advance,” he commented.
The successful teams from this zone will compete with winners from the Northern and Southern zones at the final KIC pitch event in November.
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