Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has lauded the 2022 National Best Farmer, Nana Yaw Sarpong Siriboe, for his initiative in setting up the Siriboe Institute of Agribusiness and Skills Development (SIAS), a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to advancing agricultural education.
Situated in Bomfa, within the Ejisu Municipality of the Ashanti Region, the SIAS is an impressive three-storey structure equipped with a 700-seater hall designed for lectures, demonstrations, and workshops. The facility is not just an educational hub but also caters to the needs of young student mothers, featuring a crèche to allow them to learn without compromising their parenting duties. Additional amenities include a cafeteria and a farm enclave encompassing a fishpond, a grasscutter farm, and a plantation.
The inauguration of this significant edifice, which Dr Bawumia attended, was held in the presence of notable dignitaries such as Nana Effah Apenteng, the Omanhene of Bompata; Daasebre Kwaku Boateng, the Omanhene of New Juaben; Simon Osei Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister; and Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education. Also present were Rev. Dr John Manu, the Ashanti Regional Director of Agriculture, various technocrats, students, and local residents of Bomfa.
In his address, Vice President Dr Bawumia commended Nana Yaw Sarpong Siriboe for his noteworthy achievements and altruistic investment in the future of agriculture. He noted that the seed money for SIAS, amounting to GH¢1 million, was part of Siriboe’s prize for being named the 2022 National Best Farmer. “Instead of using this money for personal gain, you opted to invest in the future of our youth in agriculture,” Dr Bawumia remarked.
Nana Siriboe, the founder of SIAS, outlined the institute’s mission to provide comprehensive training and equip the youth with both theoretical and practical skills in agribusiness. “Our goal is to establish SIAS as a leading institution for research-based agribusiness and entrepreneurship education in Africa,” he said.
Nana Otuo Siriboe II, in his proposal, suggested the construction of a dormitory block at the centre to ease the burden of teaching and learning for students, particularly those residing far from the institute. Looking towards the future, he also envisioned the expansion of the institute into a technical university, leveraging the extensive land of Siriboe Farms Limited, where the institute is situated.
With this groundbreaking initiative, SIAS is poised to become a pivotal centre for agricultural education and innovation in Africa, fostering a new generation of skilled and empowered agripreneurs.
