FAQs – Young Farmers Business Academy

What is Young Farmers Business Academy (YFBA) ?

KIC has introduced the Young Farmers Business Academy ( YFBA) to nurture and support the next generation of commercial farmers. KIC Young Farmer Business Academy (YFBA) is a 4 –7-month program that identifies young people who are interested in setting up an agribusiness in agricultural production. The program provides them with a system of training, workshops, and hands on experience to set up their own farms. The program uses practical sessions, field demonstrations, coaching and mentorship as a tool to encourage participants to take a fresh look at agri- production and its adjoining sectors to identify areas with potential business opportunities.

Who can be a part of the program?
This agripreneurship training program is competitive amongst teams formed by individuals admitted into the program. Kindly go through the eligibility criteria/requirements below before applying for the program. The program is open to
  1. All students and graduates from the 16 participating universities/ colleges in partnership with KIC across the country.
  2. All young person living with the catchment Districts and communities of the 16 partnership universities.
The following are eligible to apply:
  • Age: Applicants should be between 18 to 35 years old to qualify for the program. (18 to 24 is mostly preferred)
  • Gender: High priority will be given to Females, Persons living with disability (PWDs) and marginalized groups.
  • Educational Background:
  1. a) Preference will be given to applicants with a minimum of a Basic School or equivalent. Those with agricultural-related qualifications will be highly considered. This is for Persons who are interested in primary agriculture production and are yet to implement their ideas but meet the general eligibility criteria.
  1. b) No educational requirement for young people who are currently engaged in primary production but yet to formalize their businesses or want to scale-up and meet the general eligibility criteria.
  Requirements
  • To enroll in the KIC Program, the participant should be:
  • Do you want to expand and operate your farming activity as a business?
  • Able to commit to a maximum of 12 days a month for trainings, sessions, etc
  • Resident in Ghana for the duration of the program
  • Willing to give dedicated & undivided attention to the YFBA Program
  • Willing to work in a group.
  • Willing to work hours without supervision.
For further enquiries please contact the BAC office in your district.   Interest areas to be considered
  • A strong desire for learning and training
  • Have a true desire to start a business in the agricultural sector.
  • Be willing to start that business as co-founder with a team of people you meet on the YFBA program.
  • Understand innovation, its business benefits, and opportunities.
  • Have research and analytical skills.
  • Have creative and innovative ideas.
  • Poses critical thinking and problem abilities.
The deadline for applications is 30 may, 2024.

To enroll for the program, please apply via the KIC application portal or access the link directly from here.

The program is expected to take 7 months, in line with the traditional KIC AgriTech  Challenge Classic. Depending on the crop or animal husbandry option taken, the production period could take 3- 6 months. There will also be coaching and training on Farming as A Business. Modules taken under this training would also include agribusiness management and entrepreneurship.

KIC is partnering with 16 institutions and commercial farms across the Zone of influence. These stakeholders will leader on both technical and business management trainings at the school and community level. They be the main interface between participants and KIC. Commercial farms will be engage to provide mentoring and coaching support to the program.

The minimum land size is 1 acre at lease and 2 acres at most depending on the crop area and the number of young people in the team.

Yes, school will work with young people who have secure lands with their communities for production purposes. Young people with their own facilities and systems will also be set up under this model. The model will avoid investing in physical structures but adopt rental (in the case of greenhouse), open field or vertical farming systems.

KIC will work with institutions and the young person to aid their effective participation in the program. This implies working to identify the most effective means of transport and alternatives available to ensure participant are able to make the most of the program.

KIC will work with institutions and the young person to aid their effective participation in the program. This implies working to identify the most effective means of transport and alternatives available to ensure participant are able to make the most of the program.

Yes students/ graduates who have already started a farm business and would like to join are encouraged to apply. They will receive  tailor made training and will also benefit from a mentorship program from an experienced commercial farmer. This component will leverage existing agribusinesses and commercial farms with facilities, including land to get young people into primary production. They will be attached to these farms for a period. Young people with their own facilities and systems will also be set up under this model. The model will avoid investing in physical structures but adopt rental (in the case of greenhouse), open field or vertical farming systems.

Yes, this program is also for you. You will be trained and given a starter pack.

No, KIC will provide all the resources needed during the program implementation phase. For growth and scale -up, businesses who make profit will then be expected to take up full growth of their business. KIC may provide some support for scale up.

The value chains will include but not limited to the following: Crops Staples (Rice, Maize, Cassava etc) & Horticultural crops (Vegetables, fruits); Animal Husbandry or Livestock: Poultry, Piggery, Goats; Fishing Aquaculture (Catfish); Apiary (Bee keeping) among others.

Animal Husbandry or Livestock, Poultry, Piggery, Goats; Fishing Aquaculture (Catfish); Apiary among others.

Yes, it is possible to grow more than one crop for the duration of the program, Hover, participants may have to focus on one crop per season and move to another crop after post-harvest.

KIC has developed the program to support market linkages. This will be through direct access to local markets, warehousing as well as using the off taker and aggregator models.

Yes, in addition to production, individuals/ team can process agricultural produce for market.

Participants under the program will be expected to progress into their own commercial farming enterprise.