BUSINESS AGRICULTURE ENTREPRENEURIAL CERTIFICATE

We have been working with the Golden Sunbeam School to develop a certificate in Ag-business.  It is to be a one year program of on-line study courses being created by Steve McGary of the BYU Idaho Agriculture College but with an emphasis on practical application.  The one thing really missing in the schools here is "hands on" application.  Everything is theory and book learning.

The Golden Sunbeam School is an ideal setting for such a certificate.  The Opares have developed a real farm surrounding their high school because it's the only way they can feed the boarding students in a price range they can afford.  If purchased, their food alone would be more than their tuition each semester.  They are also very focused on nutrition.

This is the location of the Soy Cow Operation we discussed earlier.  HERE
Besides making their own soy milk, yogurt and possibly ice cream to supply the 3 schools they have surplus to sell to surrounding schools. They now have plans to clear land to use to grow their own soy beans. That is another project for the fall and interns are coming to assist.

The soy milk is delicious!  We wish we had access to it so we could buy it on a regular basis. But school is now out and production  is just for experimental purposes until school resumes in September.
Approval is being sought from the government to pass the inspection needed to qualify to sell it.

Land used for farming.  Emmanuel and Natasha are building a home in the background and will reside on the property
a

Hydropnic circulation system

Besides the soy cow they have vegetable gardens, chickens, small animals, cows, a fish farm, set up to cycle it's water through a garden to add nutrients.  All these things supply food for the school. 

 They serve eggs, chicken, fish, vegetables, soy milk, etc. for their meals.They also have a bakery to supply delicious rolls. All this is part of the high school in Ayikuma. The food is also trucked to the primary school in Adenta.  It's a model of self-sufficiency born out of necessity.

Hydroponic System.  Fish are raised in the mote that surrounds this garden.  Water circulates through to water the garden and share the nutrients created by the fish.  Bottle Caps are kept in the circulating water to add other elements.  It's pretty organic. Though they will probably have to include some pesticides to keep from losing plants to bugs.

Duck Pond

Ducks run free on the farm.  

The plan is to assist former pathway students returned missionaries and other young adults to get true practical experience that will give them an edge in the job market, then help them get jobs.

We learned this week that 94% of college degree students are unemployed compared to 8% in the U.S.

They won't all want to go into agriculture, but the program will be designed to apply to business principles and practices that are transferable. They will focus on supply chain in growing and harvesting the soy beans, production with the soy cow, gardens, animals, etc, marketing with the soy milk products and finances which must be taught on a cash basis.

Fish are raised in a mote that surrounds a garden

New chicks are placed above with incubation, then moved to the
lower level when they get a little bigger

These chickens look like they are getting ready for
"dinner"

My lunch last week at Golden Sunbeam School
Actually it was delicious and filling!

The Opares are going forward with this certificate but need to partner with a university to get Ghanaian accreditation.  There are local universities but they hope BYU Idaho will agree to partner with them for a pilot program.That possibility is in the works so we'll see.  If not, they will choose a local university, but to partner with BYU Idaho would be their first choice. Emmanuel is a graduate of BYU Idaho and a former Idaho E-Center Intern.