Rice Value Chain & Youth Agribusiness
About This Program
This 6-week program is designed to empower both smallholder rice farmers and young agribusiness professionals by bridging the gap between academic knowledge and real-world field practice. Participants will be immersed in the full rice value chain — from land preparation, nursery management, and transplanting through to milling, packaging, and market access. The program brings Presbyterian University Agribusiness students together with experienced rice farmers in Assutuare to listen to the challenges farmers face on the ground, and work collaboratively under the guidance of Farm to the World board members to develop practical, community-driven solutions. Youth participants gain invaluable field experience while farmers benefit from fresh perspectives, modern techniques, and improved access to value-addition opportunities.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the complete rice value chain from field to market
- Apply improved rice agronomy techniques on real paddy fields
- Conduct community listening sessions to identify farmer challenges
- Process and add value to harvested rice for premium markets
- Develop actionable solutions to real farming problems through youth-farmer collaboration
- Build practical agribusiness skills through hands-on field mentorship
Curriculum
Introduction to the Rice Value Chain
Overview of Ghana's rice industry, market opportunities, field orientation in Assutuare, and pairing of university students with farmer mentors.
Rice Agronomy & Field Practices
Land preparation, improved seed varieties, nursery establishment, transplanting techniques, water management, and weed control on real paddy fields.
Farmer Listening Sessions & Problem Mapping
Youth-led community listening sessions with rice farmers to document field challenges — pests, water access, input costs, market pricing — and map priority issues for collaborative problem-solving.
Post-Harvest Handling & Milling
Proper harvesting timing, threshing, drying techniques, parboiling, milling processes, and quality grading to reduce losses and increase rice value.
Value Addition, Packaging & Branding
Transforming milled rice into market-ready products, packaging design, labeling standards, branding for local and export markets, and cooperative marketing strategies.
Solution Presentations & Action Plans
Student-farmer teams present practical solutions to the challenges identified in Week 3. Farm to the World board members provide mentorship and feedback. Participants develop individual and community action plans for sustained impact.
Instructors
Bless Ayitey
Lead Agronomist & Executive Director
Dominic Donkor
Senior Agronomist & Head of Relationships
Delanyo Ayitey
Chief Finance Officer
Enroll Now
Fill in your details below to express interest in the Rice Value Chain & Youth Agribusiness program.
Or call us directly at +1 (929) 866-4776