Project Update: Week 1 & 2 Recap – Horticulture Business Challenge (HBC)

Empowering young people goes beyond equipping them with knowledge; it requires creating opportunities for them to apply their skills in real-world contexts. It is within this intersection of learning and practice that meaningful growth occurs, shaping individuals who are not only knowledgeable but capable of solving real-world problems.

Week 1

Following the Preparation Workshop for the final participants of the HBC from 30th March – 2nd April, 2026, the two-month internship got off to a good start.

The first week of the internship kicked off with participants reporting to their respective host companies, accompanied by the HBC Team and coaches. This was to ensure a smooth transition and integration of participants into their new working environment.

The participants sat down with their company representatives to align on expectations, business case solutions, and map out a strategic execution plan for the internship period. Participants were also given comprehensive tours of the companies’ operations and facilities.

Fridays, as is characteristic of the HBC programme, are set aside for workshops, training, field trips, and coaching sessions. For the Friday of Week 1, participants engaged in a professional development session, facilitated by Tracy Mensah & Benjamin Kwaitoo, focused on CV writing, where they were guided on how to present their experiences and skills effectively in a competitive professional landscape. This was complemented by a session on digital tools, particularly Canva, equipping them with practical skills for visual communication and content creation. 

Week 2

Week 2 marked the transition from planning to execution, the week where the rubber meets the road and solutions kick-start. From Monday to Thursday, participants were fully immersed in their host companies, actively implementing their business case solutions. 

Friday featured a field trip to Yvaya Farm (Pure and Just Company Ltd), a key highlight of the week. Yvaya Farm is a youth-led agribusiness specializing in all-natural, premium dried fruit snacks like mango, papaya, banana, and pineapple, with a mission to empower rural farmers and reduce food waste through value-added processing. Yvaya Farm exemplifies innovation and impact within Ghana’s horticulture sector. 

Upon arrival at the warehouse, participants received a warm welcome and were taken on a factory tour by Eunice Okyere Darko, the Quality Assurance Officer, who walked them through the fruit processing facility, the warehouse, and the company’s daily operations and standards in producing dried fruit products. 

Following the tour, participants enjoyed an interactive session with Emmanuel Ampadu, Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder of Yvaya Farm. He shared the inspiring story of how the company grew from a small kitchen operation to employing over 70 people during peak seasons, driven by a young Ghanaian team featuring a 67% female staff. Emmanuel discussed Yvaya’s profound impact on the lives of Ghanaian farmers, the milestones achieved in sustainable, climate-smart agriprocessing, and their success in reaching export markets across Europe, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. 

Participants took the opportunity to ask industry-related questions and were encouraged by Emmanuel to act as problem solvers in their respective fields of interest and toward their specific HBC business cases. It was a truly inspiring moment spent witnessing a company actively enhancing Ghana’s agribusiness sector while promoting environmentally positive agriculture. 

As the internship progresses into Week 3, we wish all participants the grace and resilience needed to achieve their weekly targets and successfully drive their business case solution implementation.