The Vice President, Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has called for a renewed national commitment to culture-driven development and youth participation in agriculture, as she joined the chiefs and people of Asogli to celebrate this year’s Te Za (Yam Festival) in the Volta Regional capital, Ho.
Addressing a colourful durbar attended by traditional leaders, government officials, and thousands of citizens, the Vice President lauded the festival’s enduring message of gratitude, resilience, and unity. She said yams, the central symbol of the celebration, represent not only sustenance but also renewal and shared prosperity.
“Here in the Gonja and Volta regions, yams have long been more than a crop; it is a source of sustenance, a symbol of renewal, and a sign of community wealth. Yet, our farmers today face many challenges from changing rainfall patterns to post-harvest losses and market instability,” she said.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang stressed that it was in response to such challenges that the government had placed food security, youth empowerment, and agricultural transformation at the heart of its development agenda.
She noted that urban farming initiatives, cooperatives, and mechanisation support programmes were being promoted to help smallholder farmers pool resources, access improved seed varieties, and reduce costs while improving productivity and competitiveness in both local and export markets.
“Through targeted investments in mechanisation and irrigation, we are ensuring that agriculture becomes not just sustainable, but profitable and attractive, especially for our young people,” she stated.
Highlighting the region’s potential, she pointed to initiatives such as the Onago and Rikupuku Feed Ghana Programme, which is engaging district assemblies, cooperatives, and public institutions to strengthen the agricultural value chain and reduce food imports.
“The region is ideally placed to scale up crop production, particularly vegetables, rice, and yams, through innovation and collaboration,” she said.
The Vice President emphasised that festivals like Te Za have evolved beyond cultural expression to become platforms for mobilising resources, celebrating excellence, and inspiring youth participation.
“With continued investment in infrastructure and irrigation, Ghana stands to achieve not only greater food security but also a cultural reawakening in agriculture. Where tradition meets innovation, incomes rise, youth are energised, and our produce thrives both locally and globally,” she added.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang reiterated the government’s commitment to youth empowerment, urging the younger generation to see farming not as a last resort, but as a noble and rewarding profession.
“We must ensure that the youth of Africa see farming as one of the most satisfying and profitable callings. True national transformation begins with our support for them,” she said.
“Across Ghana, the youth are saying ‘Papa Mahama,’ while parents and elders echo ‘Elɔ̃ Mahama’, a shared call for hope, unity, and opportunity.”
Concluding her address, the Vice President paid glowing tribute to the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, and the people of Asogli for preserving their heritage and using culture as a tool for progress.
“As we reflect on the past, we are reminded that culture and progress can walk hand in hand. The Asogli Te Za reminds us that culture sustains us, and that progress is strongest when it is rooted in heritage,” she said.
“May this year’s festival be abundant, and may the land of Asogli continue to flourish.”
The Te Za (Yam Festival), celebrated annually by the Asogli State, marks the end of the harvest season and serves as a time of thanksgiving, renewal, and reflection.
This year’s celebration attracted dignitaries, tourists, and citizens from across Ghana and beyond, reaffirming the festival’s place as one of the nation’s most vibrant cultural events.
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