McGill Joins Ghanaian Partners to Empower Youth and Transform Agrifood Systems
As part of the Nkabom Collaborative supported by the Mastercard Foundation, McGill University has joined forces with Ghanaian institutions in a bold initiative to foster youth leadership and transform the agrifood ecosystem in Ghana and beyond.
The Nkabom (Unity) Collaborative (formally Nutrition and Sustainable Agri-food Collaborative) is set to transform the agrifood ecosystem in Ghana and beyond. This ambitious project, spanning from 2024 to 2034, aims to address structural disconnects between educational institutions and the workforce, particularly focusing on African youth in urban areas and rural farming communities. At the heart of the Nkabom Collaborative is a commitment to move beyond traditional, theory-based education by incorporating experiential learning. Through experiential learning, the Nkabom Collaborative will equip young people with the practical skills and credentials for successful employment and entrepreneurship in the nutrition and agri-food sector. This approach is especially targeted at empowering young women, internally displaced persons, and people with disabilities, ensuring that opportunities are inclusive and accessible.
The Nkabom Collaborative includes esteemed Ghanaian universities, a nonprofit organization, and McGill University. Together, they form an international Community of Practice – a “living laboratory” that connects classrooms to farms, students to entrepreneurs, and innovative ideas to thriving enterprises.
The Mastercard Foundation has played a pivotal role in supporting this initiative. The foundation's Young Africa Works Strategy has been instrumental in shaping the collaborative's vision and activities.
Prof. Anja Geitmann, Vice-President (Global Engagement) at McGill University, highlighted the importance of unity and partnership during the opening remarks at the collaborative meeting. "The Nkabom Collaborative is more than a project. It reflects our collective determination to bridge the gap between education and employment, to empower African youth, especially young women, displaced persons, and people with disabilities, and to foster dignified, fulfilling livelihoods rooted in sustainable nutrition and agriculture," she stated.