The Accelerating Change Through InnoVation in Agricultural TVET (ACTIVATE) program is a 5-year project funded by the Mastercard Foundation, which aims to improve the well-being and resilience of young women and men by strengthening an industry-led demand-driven Agriculture Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) system nationwide in Ghana. It blends education and skills training while building collaboration and linkages among key stakeholders such as public and private actors, academia, and agriculture value chain actors.

Over the course of five years, this program will respond to key challenges facing the Agriculture and Adjacent sectors (defined as sectors that are directly or indirectly aligned with agriculture such as ICT and logistics) including:

  • Low quality of ATVET instruction, curriculum, and equipment/infrastructure;
  • Non-alignment of new TVET policies and reforms across ministries;
  • Lack of ATVET engagement with industry to understand their human resource needs;
  • Poor business skills among young people and insufficient entrepreneurship support to the diverse needs of agripreneurs;
  • Insufficient management capacity of ATVET providers, regulators and support organizations.
  • The project will reduce gender specific barriers, elevate the voice and aspirations of youth and integrate a strong inclusivity lens, with respect to gender and disability.

The project will have a total reach of over 80,340 individuals out of which 79,360 will be youth aged 15 to 35, with 85% youth in work and 70% young women. As well as stronger and more resilient ATVET Institutions, changes in practices of ATVET organisations, improved coordination, and confident youth with enhanced skills are expected results.

Key Interventions

The ACTIVATE project encourages innovation focusing on agriculture TVET, agri-business skills development, and transition to employment & economic opportunities for young people. The key intervention areas are:

  • ATVET Systems Strengthening: Creating an industry-led and demand-driven, high-quality ATVET system.
  • Improving the Quality of Instruction and Delivery: Strengthening the quality of ATVET Instruction.
  • ATVET Value Chain-Specific Program and Curriculum Development: Quality training programs and CBT Curricula for skills development in key agriculture sub-sectors.
  • Improved Access to Training and Skills for young people: quality and market relevant training provided to young people.
  • Improving Employability, Job Readiness, Transition, and Resilience in ATVET: Improved systems to support transition of trainees to employment and agripreneurship.

Partners

The ACTIVATE project is funded by the Mastercard Foundation and is being implemented by World University Services of Canada (Lead partner), CERATH Development Organization (Anchor Partner), and Social Enterprise Ghana (Anchor Partner).