By: Linda Dede Nyanya Godji
Emmanuel Yaw Asamoah, a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Agriculture graduate from the University of College of Agriculture and environmental studies has advocated for more youth to venture into the agricultural sector.
According to the 27 year old farmer, the sector is lucrative if given the necessary commitment.
In an interview with agrighanaonline.com, Mr. Asamoah said he would therefore recommend farming to every hardworking person and especially the youth as a means of earning a decent living.
He disclosed how he was motivated to sell his smart phone whilst in the University to raise funds to start his own farm. He proudly recounted this decision as one he has never regretted.
He said the sale of his mobile phone became necessary after several attempts by his dad to convince him to go into farming business.
“My father who introduced me to farming had always been convincing me to give it a try. When he told me to quit IT and go into agric, I was very angry. It took me almost 2 years to listen to him. I further got the conviction when my lecturer Mrs Margaret Agyemang added her voice to it.” Emmanuel said.
Mr. Asamoah stated that he had always loved ICT and had wanted to pursue further studies in ICT at the University. However, little did he know he would come to love farming.
“At the beginning it wasn’t easy at all, I had to sell my mobile phone just to raise some money to start it. I also starved myself sometimes so I could save some extra money. In-fact I nearly quit agric in the course of my University studies but I am happy I didn’t. Now I must say I make more than twice the amount of money I invested.” He added.
Mr. Asamoah told agrighanaonline.com that he started poultry farming during the period of COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020 with 20 birds and could boast of over 300 birds now. “My father does layers and has about 3,000 of them but due to my lack of funds I decided to go into broilers.” he said.
He disclosed that this month he would start vegetable farming as well.
Mr. Asamoah was optimistic that in ten years, he would be a force to reckon with in the agricultural sector and a household name, a motivation to the youth and especially agric students.
Advice to the youth
- To agric students: You are lucky to be offering agric as a course because you are the back bone of the country and the economy. You should not be agric students by books, practicalise it. Farming really pays. Start something small your own way at your own pace and you will get there.
- To the youth: When someone advises the youth to start something on their own, the question they ask is, how do we start something on our own when you have nothing to start with? Yes that is a right question, but some of us made some sacrifices by selling our phones. Why don’t you hold on with the purchase of expensive stuffs and offload some expensive items of yours and make your dream come through. There are a lot of things we can do to lift ourselves.
To the government:
- First of all, the government has to make agric more attractive to the youth and students. Special scholarship to Agric student would make it more attractive. Grants to agric students and youth in agric and also woman in agric would be very useful and helpful.
- Agric students must be well recognised by the government. Agric students must work in agric related firms like Cocobod, CSIR, MOFA, etc. It’s very sad you go to COCOBOD and meet more students from other fields than agric students all because the agric student didn’t have any mighty person to step in for him or her.
To Institutions and banks:
- Training in agric Institutions should be more practical. About 70% for the students every semester. Some institutions charge the students practical fees and even vacation training fees and still students do not get proper or no practical sessions.
- Designated banks like ADB must serve the purpose by which it was established. ADB was established to support farmers. Loans should be more and easily accessible by farmers especially youth farmers.
