By Juliet ETEFE
The Tullow AgriVentures Programme has awarded ten promising small and medium agribusinesses US$10,000 each to expand their operations.
This initiative, in partnership with Innohub Foundation, aims to improve employment opportunities, provide training for startups, and foster sustainable growth in the agribusiness sector.
The ten businesses including Tropical Snacks, Vicca Juice, Fafas Breakfast, Entofarms, H.A Farms, Madolf Ventures, Wami Agro, Vokia Farms, Defarmacist Group Limited and Minana Services came top after a competitive Pitch held in Accra.
In addition to the financial support from Tullow Ghana, the ventures will benefit from business development assistance, market access services, and technical guidance to scale their operations.
Speaking to the B&FT, Social Performance Manager of Tullow Ghana, Edmund Fiifi Enchill added that the programme seeks to invest heavily in agribusiness ventures with the aim of creating jobs and boosting the economy.
However, “the goal is not only to increase productivity and employment but also to enhance food security and improve living standards. We want to see today’s beneficiaries increase their productivity, employ more people, and support food security in the country”.
“I was quite surprised by the products they have on the market and I am looking forward to them expanding beyond borders to create more jobs for the youth,” he added reiterating Tullow’s commitment to collaborate with various stakeholders to accelerate development, particularly in the agribusiness sector.
He noted that the company’s effort have extended beyond education into empowering individuals to create their own jobs, and recognising agribusiness as a key area for job creation, it aims to foster entrepreneurship and reduce unemployment in the communities they operate in.
“We have done a lot in education, from kindergarten to tertiary scholarships. It is time to empower people to do their own jobs and create jobs for others,” he said.
For his part, Nelson Madiba Amo, Executive Director of Innohub Foundation, noted that the ventures which are from various part of the country have shown a significant interest in agribusiness with many finalists in the involved in value addition, processing, and agri-tech, underscoring the diverse and innovative approaches within the sector.
“We are seeing a trend where people are becoming more creative, going beyond traditional agriculture to agribusiness. This shift is vital as it addresses previous challenges with post-harvest losses. By adding value and packaging products, these ventures are not only reducing waste but also enhancing market access for farmers,” he added.
Looking ahead, he said there is great anticipation for the impact these finalists will have as the first cohort of the Tullow AgriVentures Programme.
“As the implementing partner for this programme, we have witnessed the incredible potential and dedication of these 14 finalists. We are committed to this programme and the pitch event was an exciting opportunity for all to highlight their hard work and innovative agribusinesses. We look forward to seeing them shine as the first cohort of the Tullow AgriVentures Programme,” he stated highlighting the anticipated impact on the winners.
