From school farms to small businesses

By Enoch Young DOGBE

What if the solution to Ghana’s youth unemployment and economic stagnation isn’t somewhere far away—but right inside our schools? Imagine thousands of students graduating not just with certificates, but with the skills, creativity, and confidence to launch their own agricultural businesses. The surprising truth is that much of the infrastructure and human potential to achieve this already exists within senior high schools—but most students leave without ever tapping into it.

Ghana’s schools hold a hidden advantage: land, students, and a constant need for meals. Yet agriculture is often taught theoretically, disconnected from reality. Students memorize crop cycles and pest control methods but rarely get to practice them in ways that matter beyond school walls. By the time they graduate, they have knowledge—but no business experience, no market exposure, and no roadmap to turn ideas into income.

The solution is simple but transformative: practical agricultural education paired with entrepreneurship training. School farms should not exist merely to feed students—they should become launchpads for innovation, business skills, and real-world problem solving.

Modern school farms can be incubators for creative agricultural solutions. Students can experiment with hydroponics, vertical farming, small-scale processing, packaging, and marketing—turning basic farming into profitable micro-enterprises. Schools could organize Agro-Entrepreneurship Fairs where students pitch produce-based ideas to local investors, giving them early exposure to business negotiation, branding, and market thinking. These experiences equip students with knowledge, confidence, and networks that extend far beyond the classroom.

The ripple effect extends into communities. Students who master school-based enterprises can continue their projects after graduation. A student who starts a poultry project at school could supply neighbour’s, small shops, or restaurants. Another might create vegetable subscription boxes for urban markets or process farm produce into snacks and condiments. As these youth-led ventures scale, families earn extra income, communities gain access to fresh produce, and graduates build credibility as innovators and entrepreneurs.

Government support is key to making this vision a reality. Investment in school farms that prioritize entrepreneurship can be more than just spending—it’s building a national incubator for youth enterprise. Schools could use revenue from surplus produce to reinvest in farm operations, provide stipends for students, and expand mentorship programs. Over time, this reduces dependency on government and private-sector jobs while fostering a generation of self-reliant, skilled youth.

What makes this approach powerful is that it changes perceptions? Agriculture stops being labour-intensive or secondary. Instead, it becomes a platform for problem-solving, creativity, and financial independence. Students learn how to identify market gaps, innovate solutions, and manage small businesses—all before they step into the wider world.

The broader impact is equally compelling. As student enterprises grow, communities benefit from more accessible, high-quality produce. Markets stabilize. Local economies thrive. Ghana begins to see a youth-driven economic transformation, where young people are not only employed but empowered to create opportunities for others.

The question now is simple but urgent: will Ghana continue to let this opportunity lie dormant in its schools, or will we leverage these spaces to develop youth innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders capable of solving national challenges? The resources exist. The talent exists. All that remains is vision, investment, and the courage to act.

Written by a concerned citizen and advocate for modern agricultural education and youth entrepreneurship, committed to empowering the next generation to innovate, feed communities, and transform Ghana’s economy. Email: [email protected]

 

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