TechnoServe, a non-profit organization with funding from Barclays Africa is implementing the African Youth Agripreneurship Programme (AYAP), to create and empower a new generation of entrepreneurs in the agribusiness sector in Africa.

The AYAP is a technical and business skills development programme, focusing on youth operating businesses in the Agricultural Value Chains.

Mr Joe Gyapong, the Programme Manager, AYAP, speaking at a day’s seminar for over 60 participants said the programme, which is on a pilot phase, is being implemented in four countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa.

He said with the programme, enterprising youth within the age range of 20-35 years’ operating in the Agricultural Value Chains will be equipped with valuable access to financial linkages, technical and business skills development.

He said capacity building was to stimulate start-ups with high growth potential, whiles accelerating the growth of existing businesses in this field.

The Programme Manager said the plan works with two streams of businesses, namely Business start-ups and Accelerator Businesses.

“AYAP also aims to improve the ecosystem for productive economic engagement through a combination of improving financial literacy and equipping prospective beneficiaries with SME acceleration programme,” He added.

Mr Gyapong said the programme also seeks to demonstrate that with the right technical and business skills support and advice, young people could start and grow their businesses in the agricultural value chains and create employment for others.

Mr Kow Sam, the Chief Executive Officer, Prep-eez Tech Limited urged local businesses to pay effective attention to standards to be able to penetrate the global market.

He said packaging was critical in business promotion and brand equity development, hence business owners should not lose sight of that.

“Spend time on your products to make it look good before export,” he added.

Mr Omane Oseei-Poku, the Chief Executive Officer, CliQAfrica Limited said it was important for businesses to adopt and use online marketing to promote their products and services.