The Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has reaffirmed the Mahama administration’s commitment to expanding youth employment by transforming agriculture and agribusiness into key drivers of economic growth.
During a working visit to the Ghanaian community in Iowa, USA, Professor Opoku-Agyemang outlined the government’s strategy to create sustainable jobs for Ghana’s growing youth population through a modernized agricultural value chain.
“Our approach has several components, but I will focus on four key areas. The first is job creation. We have a youthful population we are proud of — intelligent and full of potential. What they need is opportunity and support, and we’re providing that through agricultural transformation and agri-business development,” she stated.
The Vice President also emphasized the government’s plan to leverage the Women’s Development Bank as a major tool for empowering women and supporting small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).
“We intend to strengthen small and medium-sized businesses. While large plantations are important, those cultivating small plots also deserve support. If that small land feeds a family, it deserves encouragement — and that’s where our Women’s Development Bank will play a vital role,” she added.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang is currently in the United States to participate in the 2025 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue — a flagship event organized by the World Food Prize Foundation in Des Moines, Iowa.
The annual forum convenes global leaders, policymakers, scientists, and innovators to discuss solutions to world hunger and strategies for strengthening global food systems.
