AgroMindset is truly a sustainable business; its emphasis on the environmental and agricultural progress in Ghana is commendable. Operating with the aim of educating and training young people in several agricultural fields, AgroMindset has empowered over 5,000 young people in Ghana to take an interest in agriculture.
Inspiring a generation of future entrepreneurial agriculturalists, focus on the environment and efforts to maintain natural resources, makes AgroMindset the true embodiment of a sustainable business. This belief was shared by many as they were nominated and won the GUBA Sustainable Business of the Year (2013) award.
There is no doubt that AgroMindset is destined to positively impact the agricultural processes in Ghana and the rest of Africa. This organisation has more in store for 2014, so GUBA gives David Asiamah, founder of Agromindset, the platform to share more about his organisation.
Congratulations on your GUBA awards win. How does it feel to be the recipient of the (GUBA) Invest in Africa Sustainable Business award?
Winning the (GUBA) Invest in Africa Sustainable Business award has been very encouraging to me the Founder, the board of directors, partners and team mates. Many young people who are connected to us via social media have expressed how inspired they are with this feat we have achieved; it means so much to us as we end 2013 and get renewed for 2014. Personally, it has been a humbling experience and a sobering one; the world indeed recognizes our efforts in a positive light, hence I sense a greater responsibility on our shoulders since a lot more is expected of AgroMindset. These feelings have more than ignited a fresher passion in us. In fact, we believe that nothing but the best is good enough; we’re leaving no stone unturned in our quest to achieving these and more.
One of the incentives from Invest in Africa is to be listed on their new online platform: Africa Partner Pool. What effect would this have on AgroMindset?
Limitless opportunities! We remain an agro-focused entrepreneurial group established with a vision of building a green revolution where young people can further develop their agricultural knowledge and skills within and beyond the academic environment. We provide them with a platform that fosters the enhancement of transferable skills and equipping them to match career requirements and industry expectations. Even as we operate with a very capable team, with specialisation in the areas of agriculture advocacy and training; project planning and management; the Africa Partner Pool will rev up our agenda and bridge us within the international business community. The platform is a prestigious platform to learn from and to network with other organizations to reach even higher heights.
What are your thoughts on the GUBA award ceremony?
Excellence should be recognized and I believe that’s what the award ceremony seeks to do time after time. The recent GUBA award ceremony reflected what excellent organization and planning is capable of: a very good atmosphere for synergy and progress. The resultant effect is that it is facilitating a globalised outlook because of the exposure to international community that it has granted some of us. Nothing compares to networking and exposure to the right people and a ‘refined’ audience. Big ups to the organizers of the ceremony!
Do you have any feedback about the awards that you would like to share?
I wish we knew the number of votes we had and from whom, so that at least we could thank them individually. Within 24 hours of the declaration of our victory, we had received over a 1,000 messages especially via social media platforms from people I didn’t even know. In fact, it was overwhelming! This experience reminds me of a verse in the Holy Bible; Hebrew 12 which paraphrased reads “we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses” who are awaiting our manifestation to be encouraged or to criticize us, hence we cannot settle for lower standards.
What is AgroMindset’s plan of action for 2014?
We pray for life, good health and prosperity in the New Year. Our farms (Agro Mindset Farms) are receiving more investment to be committed to meeting the needs of Ghana’s agriculture. This future encompasses not only the ideals of access to food security and an optimised output through high productivity but also on the need to address the destructive effects of current agricultural production systems on ecosystem services. We desire to make this difference to agriculture.
Additionally, In March 2014 we shall be having “Surviving After School” conference which will be the largest gathering of tertiary students to build up on their human capital as the how to survive after the 4 years of education remains a dilemma. Most tertiary students are under great amount of stress and anxiety and have no idea what the future holds for them as the competition in the 21st century is keener than ever before. The way to break through is their ability to identify, exploit and manage resources within the broader concept of sustainable development. This conference seeks to build the Human Capital for excelling after school. Our mentoring plan will be rolled out in the coming year.
