I am a coconut farmer, and the CEO of Lastin Coconut Market and Logistics Ltd in Ghana, Am also the Young Farmers Coordinator for Coalition Of Farmers Association Ghana (COFAG) which is a member of World Farmers Organization (WFO) and the chairman of Nzema Jomoro Coconut Farmers Association. (NJCFA).
Emmanuel [user:field_middlename] Kojo
Emmanuel Kojo
CEO/ General manager
Lastin coconut market and logistics limited
Ghana
Emmanuel Kojo
CEO/ General manager Lastin coconut market and logistics limitedFrom my experience, from 2015 after my tertiary education I decided to go into agric sector, as coconut farmer and a lot of friends and family were asking me questions that what happened that am puting aside my education to go into agriculture. Meaning they don't accept the fact that I want to go into coconut farming all because they have this perception that agriculture is for illiterate. But because of the passion I had for coconut farming I didn't even listen to them and now if you come to my village because of the decision I took at that time majority of the youth there are now interested to go into agriculture. Now I have my company ( LASTIN COCONUT MARKET AND LOGISTICS LIMITED) we buy coconut from small farm holder's in addition to what we have on our own farm and sell in high quantity to our customers, we also provide logistics service to transport our customers coconut to their residents. And this has reduce the rate of rural- urban migration and the perception that agriculture is for old age people and illiterate and has encourage the youth in my village to go into farming.
In spite of that I think capital to start, and availability of market after harvest and requirements the banks expect from farmers before they give them start-ups loans and even the high interest rate is some of the problems that is discouraging majority of youth who wish to go into agriculture.
However I will suggest that the few youth in the agric business should be given support in order to encourage more youth