March 9, 2025

Welcome to our weekly Sunday newsletter. This week we dive into Ghana’s farming future and exciting new innovation at HBCUs.

Ghana's Youth Rethink Farming: How Innovation and Agribusiness Are Changing Perceptions

By Peter Asare-Nuamah

With youth unemployment in Ghana reaching 13.9%, many young people are underemployed in low-paying jobs that fail to match their skills and education. The government sees agriculture as a viable solution, launching programs like Planting for Food and Jobs and Rearing for Food and Jobs to encourage youth participation. However, the sector faces a looming crisis, as the average Ghanaian farmer is 55 years old, raising concerns about future labor shortages. Traditionally, many young people have avoided farming, perceiving it as low-skilled, physically demanding, and unprofitable.

Recent research challenges this narrative, showing that most young Ghanaians are actually interested in farming, particularly when it involves modern agricultural innovations. A study of 511 young Ghanaians found that extreme weather events—such as droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall—did not significantly deter them from pursuing careers in agriculture. Instead, high-tech agribusiness models, including climate-smart farming techniques, are making the field more attractive. The study revealed that 76.7% of respondents expressed a willingness to engage in agriculture and agribusiness, provided they had access to necessary tools, training, and support.

Key factors influencing young people’s decisions to farm include exposure to agribusiness training, access to land, and involvement in farming networks. Urban youth, who make up 69.3% of those interested in farming, see agriculture as an entrepreneurial opportunity rather than just a means of subsistence. Those who have participated in training programs, joined farmer-based organizations, or have family members in the industry are more likely to enter the field. Additionally, new technologies such as hydroponics and precision farming are helping shift perceptions, showing that agriculture can be profitable, innovative, and sustainable.

For Ghana’s agricultural sector to thrive, the government must invest in training centers that teach financial management, marketing, and technological skills for modern farming. Policymakers should reframe farming as a business, positioning it as a lucrative and viable career path. Supporting youth-led agribusiness ventures, improving access to credit, and promoting successful young “agripreneurs” as role models could further inspire participation. By fostering an environment where young people can see agriculture as a high-tech, profitable industry, Ghana can ensure the sustainability of its food systems for future generations.

campus chronicles // hbcu edition

Alabama State University (ASU) is making history as one of the first HBCUs to offer cannabis certification programs, demonstrating its commitment to innovation and workforce development. In partnership with Green Flower, ASU provides five online certification programs in healthcare, cultivation, business, compliance, and product development. These programs equip students with specialized skills and credentials for careers in the rapidly growing cannabis industry.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reinstated its 1890 National Scholars Program just days after suspending it, following widespread criticism. The program, which covers full tuition, fees, books, and housing for students at 19 HBCU land-grant universities, supports those pursuing degrees in agriculture, food, and natural resources. In fiscal year 2024, the USDA awarded 94 scholarships, highlighting the program’s role in advancing educational equity and workforce development in the agri-food sector.  Lawmakers and activists criticized last week’s suspension decision, calling it an assault on educational equity that disproportionately impacted marginalized populations.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) has launched a $25 million initiative, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., to strengthen HBCUs through research, operational improvements, and innovation. Over the next five years, Project HBCU Capacity Building will enhance student success programs, upgrade infrastructure, and introduce a data management platform to streamline operations and track student progress. Additionally, select HBCUs will have access to competitive grants for faculty research, career readiness, and technology upgrades, while learning communities will foster collaboration and share best practices to improve enrollment, retention, and institutional effectiveness.

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culture

The North Carolina Central University Art Museum is honoring the 90th anniversary of Elizabeth Catlett’s teaching career in Durham with a special exhibition celebrating her legacy. Running through March 16, 2025, the exhibit showcases one of Catlett’s rare paintings alongside works that reflect her dedication to social justice, cultural pride, and women’s empowerment. Open to both the NCCU community and the public, the exhibition highlights Catlett’s impact on art and education, particularly her influence on the Black Arts movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

A trailblazing artist and educator, Catlett was initially accepted into what is now Carnegie Mellon University but was denied entry due to racial discrimination. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Art from Howard University and became the first African American woman to receive a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Iowa. Her career began in Durham, where she led elementary art programs at Hillside High School, shaping her belief that “art should be used for the service of people, struggling people, to whom only realism is meaningful.” The NCCU Art Museum has long celebrated her work, and in 2008, Carnegie Mellon awarded her an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree, recognizing her artistic and educational contributions.

Our editor, Lisa D.Tinsley, would like to thank you for spending part of your day with KISA News Radio.

See you next Sunday.

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