NewAge Agricultural Solutions is contributing 18,000 hectares of irrigated and rainfed land over four years under the HAPPY program to create 145,000 jobs for youth, women, and persons with disabilities—70% of whom will be women. These beneficiaries will receive training, continued land access, and be integrated into NewAge’s farmer network to run sustainable farming businesses.

Additionally, 120 youth will establish a 120-hectare rice seed farm to supply quality seeds to both HAPPY participants and other farmers through the YESSPRO initiative. The project is expected to produce over 141,000 metric tons of paddy valued at $44.3 million and 55,000 metric tons of soybean worth $34.38 million annually. On average, soybean farmers will earn $945 and rice farmers $790 per hectare per season—about 40% above the national average. Each direct farming role will also generate at least seven indirect jobs along the value chain.

NewAge will offer input packages on credit (repayable in-kind, interest-free), along with agronomic support and access to modern technologies. It will also establish a Youth in Agro-Input Enterprise Programme, training 1,500 young people as agro-input dealers in collaboration with the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA).

The Ghana National Service Authority (GNSA) is developing over 80,000 hectares of farmland as model farms for youth training in agriculture and related sectors. It will deploy 81,980 youth and allocate 10,000 hectares for rice, 7,000 for soybean, and 3,000 for tomato cultivation, alongside investment in rice and tomato seed production.

GNSA will enhance these lands with irrigation, mechanization, and small farm tools to support sustainable and profitable farming. Technical support, including agronomic and post-harvest services, will be provided in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s DCS and APD to train GNSA officers in modern agricultural practices.

Youth will receive initial inputs (seeds, fertilizers, etc.), and farming will follow a block-farming and cluster model with full value chain support, including aggregation and market access. GEA will train youth in enterprise development to promote farming as a business.

Additionally, 4,000 youth will be supported in poultry production to raise 1.5 million broiler birds. They will receive starter packs (chicks, feed, vaccines, structures), with costs based on market rates. Anchor companies and GEA will provide value chain and business support to ensure sustainability.

Catholic Relief Services is committed to mobilizing 19,325 youth to increase productivity of 15,656ha of rice and soybean. Additional 512 youth will be mobilized to engage in the production of 250,000 birds and other related jobs in feed distribution, farm hands, processors, and marketers. They will enrol youth as Private Extension Agents (PEAs) who will be supported to extend advisory at a fee, establish agro inputs credit schemes and offtake the outputs. With their strength in mobilization and capacity training in group development, Catholic Relief Services will offer this service to other partners working in their operational area where necessary. It will work with Directorate of Crop Services in agronomy training delivery, Ghana Enterprise Agency and TechnoServe on enterprise development. Catholic Relief Services intends to onboard a partner with the capacity to offer toll-free mobile services to complement the array of services intended for the project’s target groups, thereby further enhancing digital inclusion of smallholder farmers.

TechnoServe will support 21 agri-SMEs in Ghana across key value chains—rice, soybean, tomato, poultry, and related sectors—to create at least 13,440 youth jobs by year four. It will provide technical assistance, facilitate market linkages, and support SMEs as off-takers through inclusive business plans.

TechnoServe will manage a $441,671 micro-grant for 228 youth (with a focus on women and PWDs), a $565,680 catalytic fund for 16 SMEs, and a $135,000 innovation grant to pilot crop insurance in high-risk areas. Selection criteria will be developed with validation from the PMU and Mastercard Foundation. In addition, TechnoServe will lead the project’s gender mainstreaming strategy and conduct gender training for partner organizations to ensure equity is embedded in all program activities.

The Mastercard Foundation, through the co-created Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity (HAPPY) initiative, complements the $21 million smallholder component of the enclave project. Under this initiative, Ghana Cares will allocate 2,500 hectares of irrigated land and a 60-hectare rice seed production site, along with a $15 million investment. This funding will support infrastructure development, including housing units, a training center, electricity installation, irrigation canals, land development equipment, and land preparation. Youth involved will receive a monthly stipend of GH¢800 during their first year to support their transition to self-sufficiency.

The Mastercard Foundation’s contribution will focus on providing working capital, promoting innovation, delivering skills training, and supporting implementation. The initiative aims to create over 38,269 jobs and, at full scale (4,000 hectares by year three), is projected to generate a minimum of $12 million in annual revenue. It is also expected to reduce import dependence by 4% annually from the third year.

The Directorate of Crop Services (DCS) will lead the project’s policy interventions and serve as the primary technical body for agronomic training. It will review and standardize training manuals, approve all seeds used, and deliver Training of Trainers (ToTs) for effective extension services. DCS will also support extension delivery on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Post-Harvest Handling (PHH), assist in seed mobilization, and collaborate with CRI and SARI to bulk foundation seeds. Additionally, DCS will mentor youth in the production of certified rice, soybean, and tomato seeds.

For the poultry component, DCS will partner with the Animal Production Directorate (APD) to work with hatcheries, veterinary labs, and feed mills to supply day-old chicks, vaccines, feed, and other key inputs for the 8 million broiler production target. APD will train 6,000 youth, mobilized by GNSA, GEA, and CRS, in animal husbandry and poultry product processing to strengthen their capacity in the poultry value chain.

Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), through the Mastercard Foundation co-created HAPPY project, is scaling up its efforts to create economic opportunities for young people, particularly in vulnerable communities, by promoting job creation and enterprise development. Under this initiative, GEA will mobilize and support 15,000 informal youth to establish enterprises across post-production segments of the rice, soybean, tomato, and poultry value chains—such as aggregation, milling, parboiling, packaging, product development, and marketing.

By the end of the four-year implementation period, GEA’s intervention is expected to achieve the following outcomes:

• Job Creation: Facilitate the creation, growth, and sustainability of 15,175 dignified jobs, with women making up 70% of the workforce.

• Boost in Agricultural Output: Support the production of 240,000 Krouiler birds, contributing to a 20% increase in national poultry output.

Jobberman will leverage its existing initiatives—Job Placement Programme, HR 360° Job Matching, Employment Support, and Outsourcing—to connect 8,000 youth, especially women, with dignified employment opportunities in Ghana’s agribusiness and related sectors over a four-year period. This will be achieved through its recruitment platform, social media job promotions, online and in-person career fairs, and other outreach strategies.

In addition to job matching, Jobberman will deliver agro-focused employability training via no-tech, low-tech, and high-tech platforms to ensure wide accessibility across Ghana, with a strong emphasis on social inclusion.

Jobberman will also host Agribusiness Career Fairs, featuring targeted activities such as counseling sessions, CV clinics and rewrites, agribusiness workshops, Gap Year Fairs, and Q&A sessions on agricultural opportunities. Annually, Employer Forums will be held, bringing together policy advocates, funding bodies, and employers to discuss innovations, workforce development, and strategies for increasing youth and women’s participation in agriculture.