The TAGDev 2.0 Programme at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality, has organised a business pitching session for young agripreneurs.
The programme is aimed at supporting innovative agricultural business ideas that have the potential to create sustainable jobs and improve livelihoods within local communities.
The pitching session forms part of the Programme’s broader commitment to promoting youth entrepreneurship, agribusiness innovation, and food security through practical support and capacity-building opportunities for young people within the agricultural value chain.
The event brought together several youth-led agribusiness enterprises, each presenting innovative and market-oriented solutions aimed at addressing challenges in food production, value addition, and post-harvest management.
Opening the pitching session was Sigil Enterprise, a group of university graduates engaged in the pineapple value chain. The enterprise presented an innovative project focused on reducing post-harvest losses and producing value-added pineapple products without artificial additives.
Chief Executive Officer of the enterprise, Mr. Daniel Owusu Afriyie, explained that the group seeks to process fresh pineapples for both business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets while leveraging social media platforms to expand its customer base and visibility.
He appealed for support in the form of a tricycle, industrial juicer, and refrigerator to improve production and distribution. According to him, the initiative has the potential to create employment opportunities for young people and farmers while promoting environmental sustainability through the conversion of pineapple waste into livestock feed and organic compost.
Another agribusiness venture, PK Farms, showcased its growing okro production enterprise. The group requested support for a water pumping machine and a tricycle to improve irrigation, transportation, storage, and marketing activities on its four-acre farm.
Agivid Gari Processing, a female dominated venture also impressed participants with its innovative value-addition initiative focused on producing nutritious gari blended with beetroot, turmeric, and coconut. Representatives of the enterprise indicated that the initiative seeks to provide consumers with healthier and more nutritious gari products while increasing the market value of locally processed cassava.
The group noted that gari remains one of the most widely consumed staple foods in Ghana and expressed confidence that with the necessary financial support, the enterprise would be able to expand production and reach more consumers across the country.
Speaking at the event, the Director of Department of Agriculture for KEEA, Madam Victoria Dansoa Abankwa, underscored the importance of empowering young people to become self-reliant through agriculture and agribusiness.
She explained that the programme was designed to equip the youth with practical skills, entrepreneurial knowledge, and innovative approaches needed to address food security challenges while building sustainable livelihoods.
At the end of the pitching session, the three youth groups received financial support to help scale up their businesses, create sustainable employment opportunities, and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable people within their communities.
The TAGDev 2.0 Programme at UCC with its partners continues to play a critical role in nurturing youth-driven agribusiness initiatives through mentorship, training, and strategic support aimed at promoting job creation, food security, and sustainable agricultural transformation in Ghana.
