By Elizabeth Larkwor Baah
Tema, Aug. 27, GNA-Mr. Gorge Tutu Yeboah, a 23-year-old Ghanaian winner of the “Sustainable Palm Oil” category in the 2023 Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) competition, has advised the youth to go into agriculture.
Mr Yeboah said the phase of agriculture was changing and provided great opportunities for individuals and the country.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Yeboah stressed the need for more women to venture into agriculture and for the youth to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the agriculture sector.
On the competition, he said despite having no prior background in agriculture, he decided to seize the opportunity to venture into the field and through mentorship and training, he gained the necessary skills and knowledge to help the palm oil sector succeed in Ghana.
He said the competition was not easy, but determination, hard work, and dedication drove him to emerge first in his category.
The programme, dubbed “Young Elaeis Ambassador 2023,” was part of CPOPC’s eighth anniversary held in Indonesia and aimed at educating and engaging the younger community in advocating the sustainability of the palm oil industry.
Out of the 12 finalists across the world in the three categories, namely Smallholders, Circular Economy, and Sustainable Palm Oil, Mr Yeboah and Mr Sebastian Appram were the only Ghanaians who won first place in Sustainable Palm Oil, and third place under the Circular Economy Category, respectively.
Sharing his experience, he said a lecturer at the University of Ghana shared the link of the competition with him, which he saw as an opportunity to participate to share ideas and learn to make a difference in the palm oil sector in Ghana.
He explained that he worked on three projects titled “Sustainable Palm Oil for Women’s Inclusion and Financial Liberation,” “Sustainable Packaging for Sustainable Palm Oil,” and the need for a “Palm Oil Producers Union.”
He said considering the timeline given and the fact that Ghana did not have an Indonesian Embassy, they participated in the award ceremony online while Madam Florence Akonor, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, represented the Ghanaians and brought the awards to Ghana for their presentation to them at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
He said to participate; he registered online by submitting his personal details and short essays on topics related to the palm oil industry, underwent a quiz, and submitted an animation video on projects on palm oil and sustainability, after which the finalists were interviewed and awarded.
GNA