The Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) has launched an ambitious 20,000-acre youth farming initiative aimed at creating jobs, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and strengthening food security across the country.
Announcing the programme, dubbed Agenda 20,000 Acres, at the 7th Development and Social Services (DSS) Consultation in Abokobi, the Moderator of the General Assembly, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, said the Church plans to mobilise 20,000 acres of church and community land over the next five years to establish youth-led agribusiness hubs.
He noted that the initiative is designed to tackle youth unemployment, reduce rural-urban migration, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for young people. Rt. Rev. Dr. Opare Kwakye stressed that the Church must move beyond social assistance to creating sustainable economic opportunities.
“Training alone is not enough,” he said, explaining that young entrepreneurs also require access to finance, equipment, mentorship, business advisory services, and reliable markets to succeed.
He added that the success of the programme would be measured not by the number of people trained, but by the sustainable businesses established, jobs created, and improvements in household incomes.
As part of efforts to strengthen entrepreneurship development, the Moderator announced the approval of an Entrepreneurship Handbook and Curriculum and an Occupational Health, Safety and Security Policy, both developed by the DSS Department. The handbook will guide entrepreneurship training for youth, women, and vulnerable groups, while the policy will promote safe working environments for staff, farmers, trainees, and communities.
Highlighting the impact of Presbyterian Agriculture Services (PAS), Rt. Rev. Dr. Opare Kwakye noted that the organisation was named the National Best Faith-Based Organisation in Practical Agriculture at the 2025 National Farmers’ Day celebration.
He reported that PAS had, among other achievements, trained more than 12,700 smallholder farmers in good agronomic practices, supported over 15,000 farmers with fertiliser and improved agricultural inputs, and onboarded about 40,000 farmers onto a digital extension and market-linkage platform.
The Moderator expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for its continued support, including the provision of a tractor and 1,500 bags of fertiliser to support smallholder farmers and youth-led farming groups.
He further called for deeper collaboration between the Church and the Ministry in the areas of agricultural inputs and technology, mechanisation, climate-smart farming practices, and market access for farmers under Agenda 20,000 Acres.
By Rev. Immanuel Wiafe
