The TAGDev 2.0 Programme Coordinating Office at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) held a high level stakeholders’ workshop to review and develop the University Business Incubation Policy.

The workshop forms part of efforts to empower young people to create sustainable jobs and improve their livelihoods through innovation and entrepreneurship

Stakeholders who participated in the workshop

The workshop brought together key actors from within and outside the University, including members of management, deans, directors, and industry experts, to make input into the draft policy and chart a roadmap for business incubation and job creation.

Opening the workshop, the Director of Academic Affairs, Dr. Atta Yeboah-Sarpong, described the programme as a major milestone in UCC’s renewed drive to re-engineer agriculture with a focus on equity, inclusivity, and entrepreneurship.

Director of Academic Affairs, Dr. Atta Yeboah-Sarpong, opening the workshop

“This is a great opportunity for us to collectively support efforts under TAGDev 2.0 to create decent jobs for young men and women, as well as the marginalized, through the agricultural value chain,” Dr. Yeboah-Sarpong stated.

He emphasized that the university’s mandate would remain incomplete if its graduates were unable to find meaningful employment, stressing that the policy would help produce skilled, innovative graduates capable of creating chains of jobs and expanding wealth opportunities. He noted that the university’s mandate would not be complete if the thousands of graduates who are churned out especially the young ones end up unemployed.

“The development of this policy will empower young people and marginalized groups through mentorship, incubation, and access to flexible funding,” he added.

TAGDev 2.0 Overview

The UCC TAGDev 2.0 Programme Coordinator, Prof. Festus Annor-Frempong, expressed excitement about the progress made so far. He explained that lessons from Phase I of the programme had laid a strong foundation for Phase II, which focuses on establishing an Agri-Food Systems and Entrepreneurship Centre to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and capacity building in the agrifood sector.

Coordinator of TAGDev 2.0 Programme of UCC, Prof. Festus Annor-Frempong, giving an overview of the programme

“Phase II will consolidate what we started under Phase I and drive us towards a fully integrated, sustainable agrifood system,” Prof. Annor-Frempong remarked.

He noted that one of the project’s cornerstones is the review and development of key policies and systems to support inclusive, experiential, and entrepreneurial education.

“All these policies are aimed at addressing institutional bottlenecks and ensuring effective transformation through the active involvement of stakeholders,” he said, adding that the ten-year programme seeks to expand equal work opportunities for young women and men in the agricultural value chain.

Towards a Coherent Incubation System

Presenting on the draft incubation policy, Prof. Mavis Serwaa Benneh Mensah, the Incubation Policy Lead, said the policy would provide a framework for identifying priority sectors for incubation, addressing institutional challenges, and establishing governance structures for effective management of incubation activities.

Prof. Mavis Serwaa Benneh Mensah making a presentation during the workshop

She noted that several incubation hubs already exist across UCC’s colleges and departments but emphasized the need for coordination and alignment.

“Once developed, the policy will harmonize and strengthen these hubs to drive innovation, job creation, and wealth generation,” she stated.

Collaborative Policy Co-Creation

Participants engaged in thematic group discussions to share experiences and make recommendations to strengthen incubation systems, build cross-sector partnerships, and align UCC’s policy framework with national and regional priorities in agribusiness and youth empowerment.

Immediate past Pro Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Rosemond Boohene, contributing to discussions during the workshop

Present at the workshop were the immediate past Pro Vice-Chancellor, the Dean of the School of Agriculture, the Director of the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience, the Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance, the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy, the Design Thinking Innovation Hub, the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Small Enterprise Development, Central Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Ghana Enterprise Agency, students and youth entrepreneurs, among others.

Group presentation at the workshop

Participants in a brainstorming session