A two-day capacity building workshop has been held for some selected youth champions in the agriculture sector and climate change advocacy space in the Northern Region.
The youth champions, drawn from the Sagnarigu, Nanton and Mion Assemblies, were trained in how to use radio as a viable advocacy tool to create awareness on issues of climate change, agriculture, and entrepreneurship.
The training workshop was organised by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Feed the Future Ghana Market Systems and Resilience (MSR) Activity with funding support from the United States Government.
It was in partnership with the Northern Regional Secretariat of the National Youth Authority, Ghana Enterprises Agency, the Department of Agriculture, Out grower Business Networks and Simba Ghana.
Mr Glenn Lines, Chief of Party, Feed the Future Ghana MSR Activity, at the workshop, said it was to help young people to gain the tools, knowledge and networks needed to succeed within the agricultural marketing systems.
He said through the training in agribusiness, climate-smart agriculture, and entrepreneurship, the MSR Activity was committed to ensuring that the youth were not only aware of the opportunities but were also fully prepared to take advantage of them.
Madam Zinabu Abdulai, the Resilience and Social Inclusion Director at the Feed the Future Ghana MSR Activity, said the training was to enhance capacity and promote dialogue on youth involvement in the agricultural market system focusing on climate-smart practices, agribusiness, and other entrepreneurship opportunities.
She said it was also to recognise and celebrate outstanding youth advocates whilst fostering collaboration among stakeholders to support youth-led climate change mitigation and entrepreneurial development initiatives.
She gave assurance that “MSR Activity will continue to leverage on collaborations, scale up sustainable ventures and integrate digital tools to ensure long-term impact and youth empowerment in the agricultural market system”.
Madam Henrietta Zaato, the Deputy Northern Regional Director of Ghana Enterprises Agency, who was represented at the training, encouraged participants to take advantage of the various interventions put in place by government and other stakeholders to create businesses to reduce unemployment in the country.
The youth advocates, after their presentation on some of their community-led initiatives and recommendations for the appropriate actions from stakeholders, received certificates of participation and notebooks.
Miss Heskaya Suhuyini Salma, the Project Officer at Simba Ghana, they thanked USAID Feed the Future Ghana MSR Activity and partners for the training and pledged to work assiduously towards raising more awareness on issues of climate change in their communities.
The workshop was used to officially launch the Youth Advocates in Climate Change Mitigation (YACCM) Initiative.
It is a platform for youth advocates to share their experiences on the implementation of their projects, achievements, and recommendations for the needed actions from government and other stakeholders.
Miss Salma said the youth champions, among other things, would advocate for the inclusion of climate change in school curricula to help shape the understanding and attitude of the youth on issues of climate change and mitigating factors.
She called for quarterly climate change awareness campaigns involving the youth, enforcement of policies and regulations on tree felling and deforestation to help protect the environment.
