In a landmark move, the National Service Scheme (NSS) has signed a strategic partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) to help strengthen the country's agricultural prospects.
The partnership, which was signed yesterday, is under the transformative 'deployment for employment' initiative, which is expected to reduce the unemployment burden on the government.
The collaboration is poised to unlock untapped potential in Ghana's agricultural sector, fostering resilience and prosperity for generations to come.
Positive change
Speaking during the official signing ceremony, the Executive Director of NSS, Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, said NSS was an essential state institution that could be leveraged to catalyse positive change in various sectors of the economy.
He highlighted the organisation's remarkable achievements, citing the Kumawu farms on over 20,000 acres of land for providing produce to meet the market demand of the nation.
Experiential learning
Mr. Assibey added that NSS was a viable vehicle that has provided graduates with practical exposure, fostered experiential learning, and bolstered national development efforts.
He described the partnership with the WFP as a significant move that would boost agriculture in the country.
Mr. Assibey extended his gratitude to the Country Director of WFP Ghana, Barbara Clemens, for her instrumental role in facilitating the collaboration.
He lauded her dedication to empowering graduates through NSS' mandatory national service programme and expressed confidence in the partnership's potential to inspire youth to embrace agriculture.
Invaluable contribution
In response, Barbara Clemens commended NSS for its invaluable contribution to graduate empowerment and emphasised the significance of the partnership in driving agricultural innovation.
She applauded Mr. Assibey's tenacity and reaffirmed WFP's commitment to realising the collaboration's objectives.
Clemens emphasised WFP's dedication to supporting impactful collaborations and pledged to harness all available resources to foster national development.
Meanwhile, the Mastercard Foundation played a pivotal role in facilitating the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NSS and WFP, underscoring the collaborative efforts of multiple stakeholders in advancing Ghana's agricultural sector.
Partnership
This groundbreaking partnership holds immense promise for Ghana's agricultural landscape, offering a platform for innovative initiatives that leverage the expertise of NSS graduates. By harnessing the potential of deployment for employment programme, the collaboration aims to address unemployment challenges while driving sustainable agricultural practices.
Through strategic interventions and knowledge exchange, NSS and WFP aspire to empower a new generation of agri-entrepreneurs, equipped with the skills and experience to drive economic growth and food security.
As Ghana charts a course towards agricultural transformation, the NSS-WFP collaboration stands as a shining example of proactive partnership and collective action.
With a shared vision of harnessing agriculture for national development, the two organisations are set to catalyse a paradigm shift, unlocking new opportunities and forging a brighter future for Ghana's agricultural sector.
