Digital Skills for New-age Agriculture

ongoing

Agriculture is a vital occupation for youth and women in rural Ghana, employing about 32% of the labour force and contributing around 20% to the GDP. Nevertheless, around 1.2 million individuals in the country experience food insecurity, and the local food supply frequently fails to meet demands despite ample arable land. Persistent challenges include low productivity, climate change, and restricted market access. To address these challenges, a consortium with the support of EU partners will establish 2 AgroTrain centres within selected vocational education and training (VET) institutions in Ghana. The primary objective of these centres is to promote the integration of digital skills within New-age agriculture. The centres will conduct practical training, develop educational curricula, and train youth, women, and individuals with disabilities in agro-based digital skills. Moreover, the centres will foster collaboration between industry stakeholders and technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, thereby establishing vital connections among all participants in the agri-food value chain. A focus will be placed on precision farming techniques utilising the IoT, AI, and geospatial technology. Combining Precision Agriculture (PA) and Agrarian Trade & Marketing through vocational education will help learners learn to use data-driven farming methods. These methods will improve market access, ensure fair prices, and support sustainable supply chains. By blending PA technologies with trade strategies, VET courses will enable farmers, agripreneurs, and agribusiness professionals to enhance product quality, traceability, and logistics. This approach will lead to greater profitability and resilience in global agricultural markets. The initiative will develop 6 demand-oriented courses focused on innovative agri-food technologies. Each local university partner will offer at least one course for students and professionals engaged in the agri-food value chain.