In the farming community of Tugu Yapala, located in the Mion District of Northern Ghana, a young man is quietly rewriting his story through agriculture. Mohammed Seidu, one of the four youths supported under CSIR-SARI’s Agricultural Technology Park (ATP) initiative, has successfully ventured into rice seed production and is already making an impression in his community.
Mohammed was selected earlier this year as part of the CORAF-supported ATP initiative to empower young people to enter the seed value chain. He received US$500 in startup capital and foundation seed enough for one hectare of farm land to begin his enterprise. While the project did not provide him with machinery, Seidu took the initiative to access a simple planter himself to ensure neat and efficient planting.
Seidu explained that before this support, he lacked the means to expand his production. Now, he sees a clear path forward. He expressed his desire to become a major certified seed producer in the country and mentioned that he hopes to eventually support other youth in his community who are interested in agriculture.
For him, the journey is just beginning, but the mindset has already changed. He stated that the intervention received from CSIR-SARI has not only improved his farm but also his confidence in taking farming seriously as a business.
Officials from CSIR-SARI, including the Director, Dr. Francis Kusi, have described the youth empowerment model as a long-term investment in Ghana’s agricultural transformation. Dr. Kusi noted that CSIR-SARI would continue to provide technical backstopping to the selected youth to ensure their success from planting through to marketing.
Seidu’s story reflects the essence of the Agricultural Technology Park’s vision, to build a new generation of confident, skilled, and business-minded young farmers who can transform their communities and contribute to a stronger national seed system. For Seidu, the journey into agriculture may have started with just a bag of seed, but it is growing into something much larger, a future filled with promise, and a story that is only just beginning.
