Marphlix Trust Revives Idle Irrigation Facility to Train Youth and Boost Agribusiness Exports
Marphlix Trust Company, a leading producer and exporter of vegetables, roots, tubers, and fruits in Ghana, has revived a long-abandoned irrigation facility under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and transformed it into a center for youth agribusiness training.
The facility, located at Dawhenya near Prampram in Greater Accra, was originally developed by the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) in collaboration with Israeli firm Agritop. Despite housing about 100 greenhouse units, it had been left dormant for nearly eight years until Marphlix Trust stepped in to give it new purpose.
Under the direction of Chief Executive Officer Dr. Felix Mawuli Kamassah, the project now serves as a hub for modern agricultural training and entrepreneurship. The program is designed to equip over 5,000 young people with practical skills in greenhouse farming, open-field production, irrigation, crop research, and agribusiness management. Trainees also receive accommodation, meals, and allowances during their stay.
“This initiative is about shifting agriculture from subsistence to business,” Dr. Kamassah explained in an interview with ghnewshub.com. “We are training youth to grow for market demand while ensuring their ventures are supported with inputs and guaranteed market linkages.”
The impact is already being felt among participants. Matilda Agbloe, a graduate of Ohawu Agricultural College, described the program as life-changing. “After school, I couldn’t begin farming because I lacked capital. This program is giving me the tools and support to pursue my passion, especially in exports,” she said.
For Christabel Fafa Dogbe, who left the hospitality industry to pursue farming, the training has opened new possibilities. “We are learning to produce safe, organic vegetables that meet both local and international standards. I now see farming as a sustainable and profitable career,” she noted.
Another participant, Dramani Alhassan Kennedy from Tinga in the Bole District of the Savannah Region, called the initiative a lifeline. “In my community, galamsey has destroyed the land and left many young people unemployed. With this training, I hope to return home and change the mindset that farming is punishment. Agriculture is real business, and I want to mobilize my peers to embrace it as a better alternative to illegal mining,” he said.
The project focuses on producing tomatoes, cucumbers, chili, and habanero, with ambitions to capture a major share of Ghana’s tomato market while positioning the country strongly in the export space.
Looking to the future, Marphlix Trust plans to replicate the model across other irrigation sites nationwide, creating “agro-vegetable cities” that will tackle unemployment, improve food security, and boost foreign exchange earnings.
“This is the new face of agriculture in Ghana,” Dr. Kamassah emphasized. “It is modern, mechanized, and designed to create sustainable jobs and wealth for young people.”
