Ghanaian based agricultural NGO, Agro Mindset Organization, has participated in an Agro Tourism event in England. The programme focused on creating a cosmopolitan atmosphere and a global learning environment, tackling issues and topics that are of global significance. It sought to create an exposure to conservation, sustainable agriculture and renewable energy to provide new insights, fresh ideas and enhanced skills in appreciating, identifying career development and entrepreneurship opportunities in the broad field of agriculture for the youth. The Agro Tourism programme saw participants visiting the 2250 acre VINE HOUSE FARM in England, which belongs to the winner of the 2011 silver lap wing award, the most prestigious in farming and conservation - Philip Nicholas Watts.

Mr. Watts, who is also a member of the British Excellence and an Associate to the Royal Agricultural society told the participating delegation that farming is the profession of the future and used his life as an example of how farming can really change the life of young people. He explained that his farming expedition started at the age of 23 with 400 acres farm land size, and he has not looked back since. He added that, with Africa’s booming youth population facing daunting employment prospects, African careers in agriculture need to be promoted.

The participants had new insights in appreciating their passion for agriculture better, identifying career development and entrepreneurship opportunities in the broad field of sustainable agriculture as part of Agro Mindset Organization’s broad goal at building a green revolution where young people are keen about making farming and agriculture their future.

Founder and Executive Director of Agric focused NGO David Asare Asiamah, who led the tourists including students and other professionals to the farm said the trip was intended to provide rigorous, stimulating and enjoyable understanding to our participants who saw vast acres of land and purposeful machines for the first time in their lives.

He said the Agro Mindset Organisation is a non-governmental organisation, advocating the African youth to pursue a career in agriculture and related sciences, its entrepreneurial excellence and rural development. One component of this work is to train new interdisciplinary generation of agriculturists to think innovatively about the challenges that lie ahead in this field.

The vision of the Agro Mindset Organisation is to build the green revolution where the youth having attained academic skill and knowledge relating to agribusiness can develop the knowledge and skill towards career requirements and industry expectation, apply and transfer the knowledge, skill and technology in a variety of settings for sustainable development in Africa, in order to lift agriculture to prominence in the Diaspora.

Credit: Joe Opoku,
http://www.modernghana.com