Schedule Officer for Cashew and Miracle Berry at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Jerry Anim, has encouraged students to venture into the cashew and agricultural sectors, revealing that deep-seated social stigmas are the primary barriers preventing Ghanaian youth from entering the lucrative industry.
Speaking at a debriefing seminar held by the Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Programme II (GPSCP II) at the Cedi Conference Centre on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, Mr. Anim noted that students are usually discouraged by tutors and peers from pursuing agribusiness as a career. He cited his own experience as a student at the University of Ghana.
“I remember in my student days right here at UG, as I pushed for agriculture, the course was often termed a ‘foolish course’ by peers and even some tutors,” Mr. Anim remarked. “It is disheartening that some educators still discourage young ones from venturing into the sector, portraying it as a last resort.”
Despite these challenges, he urged young entrepreneurs to look beyond the nut and explore the untapped potential of the cashew apple, which he described as a massive waste of economic resources.
“The nuts that we put premium on are only one-tenth of the whole value or volume of the fruit. Yet we throw the 90% away, and we’re looking for money for only the 10%. I would advise the young ones to go into the apple processing. That is an area where, if you want to enter now, you will get a lot of support.”
In an interview with Univers News, the Team Leader for the Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Programme II, Juliana Ofori-Karikari, further revealed that the industry has evolved into a space for the skilled and innovative, rather than the outdated image of farming as a manual struggle.
She emphasized that the sector is a “white-collar” opportunity open to any educated individual ready to learn.
“Let me say first of all that cashew or farming is a white-collar job. It is not for the unskilled but rather for the educated. And when I say educated, I’m not narrowing myself to someone who has been to school. But everyone who wants to learn is welcome to learn. Let me indicate that I have some farmers who have not been to the classroom, but they have been able to orient themselves.”
She further noted the high profitability of the sector, which is now attracting professionals from diverse corporate backgrounds.
“Farming is very, very lucrative. Very lucrative. So I want to encourage students, especially the agric students, but if you have not even done agric now, go into the farming sector or the farming areas or communities. And you’ll find accountants running into farming. It is a very lucrative business,” she added.
The seminar, which provided a debrief on the recently held World Cashew Conference in Dubai, aimed to empower youth and young entrepreneurs under the GPSCP II—a bilateral initiative between the Government of Switzerland and the Government of Ghana, implemented by NIRAS and Proforest.
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Story by Wilhemina Dushie | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Erica Odeenyin Odoom
