MTN Ghana has staked a fresh claim on the future of agriculture with the launch of a GH₵3 million Vegetable Center of Excellence—a technology-driven hub that will train small-scale farmers, especially women, youth, unemployed youth, and persons with disabilities, in precision farming and digital market access.
Announcing the flagship initiative during a stakeholder forum in Tamale, MTN Chief Executive Officer Stephen Blewett said the centre forms the cornerstone of the company’s Enterprise Support Project—a broader programme offering business coaching to underserved entrepreneurs. “Economic inclusion is a network effect; when one farmer learns to use IoT soil sensors, the whole community harvests more,” Mr. Blewett told participants.
MTN’s General Manager for the Northern Regions, Nii Adotey Mingle, underscored the company’s long-term commitment: “We are in a rapidly evolving digital era, and as a tech-driven business, MTN is continually investing in our network, in digital platforms, and in the communities we serve. But we know that real impact happens when we work together and engage meaningfully with the people and institutions that tell our stories.”
Since January, the Enterprise Support Project has disbursed seed capital averaging GH₵20,000 to 150 small businesses—55 percent of them women-led. Pilot data show participating enterprises have recorded revenue increases of up to 35 percent in a single quarter.
Looking to 2025 and beyond, MTN plans to replicate the Centre of Excellence model in other regions, roll out a Mobile Money loan product tailored for differently-abled entrepreneurs, and expand solar-powered network sites to reduce carbon emissions while keeping rural data flowing.
With the planting season underway and a ₵3 million anchor already in the soil, MTN’s bet on inclusive agritech may soon bear fruit—both literally and economically—for some of the region’s most overlooked growers.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Seidu Mutawakil|Bolgatanga
