The Acting Director of the National Service Authority, Ruth Seddoh, has announced a renewed push to position national service as a launchpad for agripreneurship.
Addressing the press on Monday, December 16, 2025, she said national service is transitioning from placement to innovation, entrepreneurship and strategic skills development.
“We are transitioning from a hosting institution to becoming a catalyst for innovation, entrepreneurship and strategic skill development,” she said, noting that much of the anxiety surrounding postings stems from concerns about employment prospects after service.
She identified agribusiness as a key pillar of this transformation, describing national service as a powerful tool for reshaping youth attitudes towards modern agriculture.
According to her, the authority is creating platforms to realign graduates’ skills and provide pathways to ownership through targeted seed funding and progressive support, with the aim of producing a new generation of agripreneurs.
Following a successful pilot programme on National Service farms, Dela Seddoh said the authority is in advanced discussions with relevant agencies to roll out SME support initiatives that will absorb service personnel who choose agriculture.
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“This will help address gaps in agricultural extension, veterinary science, horticulture and aquaculture, while giving young people a chance to earn a significant portion of the over $2 billion Ghana spends annually on imported food,” she stated.
Dela Seddoh urged service personnel posted to National Service farms not to view such postings as an inconvenience but as an opportunity.
“It is a launchpad to an entrepreneurial journey, with the chance to gain seed funding to start your own agribusiness,” she said.
Dela Seddoh shared the story of two female service personnel who were supported with GH¢20,000 each after completing their service on NSA farms, enabling them to start poultry ventures.
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“This is how entrepreneurs are made. This is how businesswomen and businessmen are created,” she said.
She indicated that the authority has also supported other young agripreneurs with access to land and seed funding, including a beneficiary who received GH¢40,000 and space at the Papaw farms.
Beyond agriculture, she said the authority is forging strong industrial partnerships with the private sector to promote local production and reduce imports, while also investing in digital skills to create a new generation of innovators.
To ensure efficiency and relevance, she announced plans for nationwide audits of private firms in the national service database to align postings with genuine industry needs and graduates’ skills.
“Our aim is to build a new ecosystem where your year of service becomes a launchpad for a career in agribusiness, local industry or a well-matched professional experience,” she said.
She called on all participating institutions to see service placement as a shared national responsibility.
JKB/AE
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