He said technical and vocational education and training was critical not only to addressing the middle level manpower deficiencies in the development process, but as an impetus for self-employment and job creation.

 Mr Barnes made the call at the inauguration of an agro-processing industrial centre for the Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture (KITA) at Domeabra in the Ejisu Municipality.

The college-based agro-processing facility, which was financed by the Australian Embassy in Ghana under its Direct Aid Programme, would serve as a practical centre to teach students and farmers on the practice of agro-processing with the aim of creating their own value-addition businesses.

 Mr Barnes said agriculture was a highly profitable venture and that was why the Embassy was eager to provide the needed technical and logistical support to attract the youth.

 He pledged the support of the High Commission to institutions that were providing technical and vocational training to the youth to address the challenges facing the development of the nation.

 Dr Noah Owusu-Takyi, President of KITA, said the Institute was partnering the government, development partners and the people of Ghana to develop agriculture in five areas.

These were the professionalization of farming business in Ghana, by designing franchise agricultural commodity farming models, and providing advocacy and capacity building for district farmer-based organizations for the establishment of Ghana National Farmers’ Union.

 He said KITA was also developing contract farming cooperative marketing system to drive agricultural production for the establishment of shopping malls, groceries and exports.

 In addition, the Institute would partner with agricultural institutions to open agro-processing centres in every Region to provide sustainable market to drive the production of standard agricultural products for rural industrialization.

 It has also started competency-based training programme for skilled farm labourers and workers.

 Dr Owusu-Takyi praised the Australian High Commission for its continued support to the institute.

 Mr Samuel Owusu-Takyi, Director of the Institute, said the Institute was seeking partnerships for competency-based curriculum development in agro-processing, agro-processing equipment manufacturing, as well as agro-processing equipment operations and management, among others.

 He called on the youth to take advantage of the facility and take careers in agro-processing and value addition to create jobs for themselves and reduce food importation.