The University says agricultural waste, often discarded in farming communities, can be transformed into marketable products and sustainable businesses capable of creating jobs and improving livelihoods.

Professor Eric Nyarko-Sampson, Vice-Chancellor of UESD, explained that the University was implementing an Agro-Waste Management and Aquaculture Technology Entrepreneurship Initiative to convert agricultural waste into valuable products while equipping young people with entrepreneurial and business skills.

He noted that the initiative responds to rising youth unemployment and the large volumes of agricultural produce lost each year.

Speaking at a two-day training workshop in Koforidua for members of the Eastern Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Professor Nyarko-Sampson said the programme sought to demonstrate how agricultural waste could become a resource for enterprise development.

“We want to look at agro-waste management and aquaculture technology entrepreneurship. The issue is how we can turn what people consider waste into other products,” he added.

Using mango production as an example, he noted that significant quantities of fruits were often discarded after commercial buyers selected only those that met market standards.

“The question is how can we convert these materials into valuable products?” he said, adding that UESD students had already demonstrated the commercial value of agro-waste through innovation.

He revealed that one student team won three international awards after developing mango jelly and mango butter from discarded mangoes.

“One team of students has won three international awards because they turned waste mangoes into useful products,” he stated.

Professor Nyarko-Sampson said the University was also promoting aquaculture entrepreneurship along the Volta corridor, where fish farming offers significant opportunities for employment and enterprise development.

He said the programme was helping young people acquire practical skills to establish sustainable businesses, with some trainees already operating their own aquaculture enterprises.

He urged policymakers, development partners and industry to view youth unemployment and agricultural waste as opportunities to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic growth.

“We have been concerned about what we can do to help young people,” he said. “We want them to leave with skills that will allow them to create opportunities for themselves and others.”

The workshop formed part of activities under the Nkabom Collaborative, a partnership involving UESD, the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ashesi University, the Association of Ghana Industries and McGill University.

Supported by the Mastercard Foundation, the initiative aims to equip 55,000 Ghanaian youth, particularly women and other vulnerable groups, with skills in entrepreneurship, agro-waste management, and aquaculture, while promoting innovation-led solutions to development challenges.

Mrs Mary Abena Agyepong, Project Administrator of the Nkabom Collaborative, said the media had a vital role in promoting public understanding of green innovation and influencing policy discussions.

“The media remains one of the most influential institutions in shaping public understanding, influencing policy discourse and driving behavioural change,” she said.

She urged journalists to prioritise accurate, evidence-based reporting on sustainability and innovation to support informed public debate and policy decisions.

Addressing participants, Professor Edward Debrah Wiafe, UESD Project Coordinator for the Nkabom Collaborative, said Ghana must confront the growing challenges of agricultural waste and limited access to affordable, quality protein.

He said large volumes of crop residues and agro-processing waste continued to accumulate despite increasing environmental concerns, while many households still struggled to access nutritious protein.

“These problems compelled the University to develop a project that will address the issues directly,” he said.

Professor Wiafe added that the initiative sought to transform agricultural waste into economic opportunities while supporting sustainable food production, improving nutrition and creating employment for young people.