Accra: The Netherlands has called on Ghana to prioritize youth involvement in agricultural transformation by enhancing access to skills, finance, and markets. Ms Wendy van Meel, Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, emphasized that youth engagement is crucial for building sustainable value chains, creating jobs, and strengthening food security during an event in Accra that marked the 2026 International Youth Day (IYD) under the theme 'Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.'
According to Ghana News Agency, Ms van Meel highlighted that supporting young people is not an isolated activity within agricultural development but central to it. She noted that the challenge lies not in the lack of ideas or ambition among young people, but in whether the ecosystem provides the necessary support to transform their ideas into sustainable businesses.
The event gathered young leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, financial institutions, and policymakers to explore opportunities for youth participation in agribusiness and growth sectors. Ms van Meel mentioned that Ghana and the Netherlands have strengthened their cooperation in trade, investment, and market development, with agriculture, particularly cocoa and horticulture, being key areas of collaboration.
She identified limited technical and entrepreneurial skills, fragmented interventions, weak enabling systems, and inadequate access to finance as significant constraints to the growth of Ghana's horticulture sector. The Netherlands has supported initiatives such as the ACHI programme, which trained over 1,200 young professionals and 60 lead farmers, and the Horticulture Business Challenge, which enables young entrepreneurs to address industry challenges.
Furthermore, the Embassy, in collaboration with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, has commissioned an Access to Finance Roadmap for Ghana's horticulture sector to identify financing gaps and practical interventions. On cocoa, Ms van Meel noted that an ageing farmer population and limited interest among young people pose challenges to the sector's future. She mentioned initiatives like a planned media programme to promote cocoa among youth, the Cocoa Innovations Hackathon at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and the Cocoa Hub project.
Ms van Meel urged stakeholders to create an environment that empowers young Ghanaians to lead innovation and drive growth in agriculture. Mr John Setor Dumelo, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, stated that the Ministry has introduced measures to support young people entering agriculture, including the provision of fertilisers, seeds, agro-inputs, and technical advice. He encouraged prospective beneficiaries to demonstrate commitment by starting their ventures before seeking government support.
Mr Dumelo also mentioned efforts to promote all-year-round farming and collaboration with private-sector players to purchase and process surplus cereals. He urged young people to explore the entire agribusiness value chain, noting that opportunities extend beyond crop production.
Dr Rens Twijnstra, Head of the Economic Department of the Netherlands Embassy, stressed that Ghana's growing youth population, increasing urbanisation, and ageing farming population make youth participation in agriculture a policy priority. He called for policymakers to listen to young people's aspirations as technology transforms employment opportunities.
Dr Twijnstra noted that access to finance remains a major challenge that requires joint action to enable young people with viable ideas to establish and grow businesses. He emphasized that the Netherlands will continue supporting initiatives that allow young people to contribute to agricultural development.
International Youth Day is observed annually on August 12 to celebrate young people's contributions to society and raise awareness of challenges affecting youth, as established by the United Nations in 1999.