Executive Director of Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC), Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, has underscored the importance of agriculture and technology to the country and at large the continents’ economic development.
He said the future of Africa’s prosperity is in technology and agribusiness, as the combination of the two can bring about transformation as well as create economic empowerment for young people.
He explained that while the latter is a critical sector that requires the needed attention, embracing it with the former and innovation will whip the interest of the youth, hence with the right investments, technology and agribusiness can ensure food security, lead to job creation, poverty reduction and improve living standards.
Given that, Mr. Gyan-Kesse said KIC will continually collaborate with partners to provide training and programmes for young people. A programme portfolio that not only addresses mindset change about agriculture but provides practical training, tools, network and resources for entrepreneurial development.
He said this in an address at the KIC’s Agritech Challenge Classic 2023 final Pitch in Accra, a programme that seeks to build and empower young people to create change and transformation.
“I am excited about the progress the AgriTech Challenge Classic has made over the years because this represents hope for the agricultural sector in Ghana, the power of technology and young people’s participation in agriculture to address issues related to production, productivity, value chains, distribution, storage, agric-processing and value addition. More importantly, young people are driving change through technology to address challenges such as climate change and food security,” he said.
The board chair of KIC, Nana Joe Mensah also highlighted agriculture’s potential for socio-economic development saying: “Agriculture will continue to be one of the most critical sectors of the economy. We have futile lands here and we have to be serious about what we do”.
He added that innovation in agriculture is a necessity and that with the growing global population, changing climate patterns, and evolving consumer demands, the country’s ability to adapt and innovate within the agricultural sector is paramount.
“Agriculture is not merely an industry; it is a vital sector that connects us all. It is the very fabric of our societies, providing sustenance, livelihoods, and a foundation for growth,” he said.
He is confident that the ideas put forth by the teams could be the catalysts for transformative change in the way the sector cultivate, harvest, and distribute food.
He therefore charged the participants to work hard, be disciplined, be serious about their innovations, and learn from like-minded people to widen their scope and grow.
He also urged them to leverage collaboration and peer learning to stimulate the growth of their businesses.
“To the participants, remember that your journey does not end here. Regardless of the outcome today, the lessons learned, the connections forged, and the skills honed will serve as valuable assets in your future endeavors. You are the torchbearers of change, and the seeds you plant today have the power to shape a more sustainable and resilient tomorrow.
“Let us embrace the spirit of innovation, collaboration, and the pursuit of a better future as we witness the final pitches of the AgriTech Challenge Classic. May the impact of these innovations extend far beyond this room,” he said.
KIC started the AgriTech Challenge classic in 2016. This year, The AgriTech Challenge Classic is in its second year, when it comes to supporting students and young graduates, to develop innovative AgriTech solutions for the sector. This program seeks to unearth the entrepreneurial potential of young people and set them on a journey towards social transformation.
At the end of this competition, twenty teams will be selected to move onto the AgriTech Challenge Pro, which is a scale-up program, business coaching and investor readiness program. Each team will receive US$2,000, and will join 20 other teams that have been newly accepted into the AgriTech Challenge Pro.
Next year, through its partnership with Mastercard Foundation, KIC is looking to expand to five more universities to make the programme accessible to students from across the countries.
