Madam Mary Perpetual Kwakuyi, the Executive Director of Goshen Global Vision, has urged students in second-cycle schools to participate in the “one student, one coconut, one tree planting” exercise as a promising avenue for future employment.

Madam Kwakuyi emphasized that current trends indicate that coconut farming is becoming one of the most lucrative sectors, ranking second only to cocoa in terms of cash crops. To underscore this, she led a coconut seedling planting initiative at Sekondi College near Essipong in Sekondi.

Under the banner of Goshen Global Vision, Madam Kwakuyi has already guided students at Daboase Senior High Technical School to plant 800 coconut seedlings. The initiative has also extended to Shama Senior High, Fijai Senior High School, and Takoradi Senior High School (TADISCO) in the Western Region.

Madam Kwakuyi pointed out that many people do not fully benefit from the nutritional value of coconut fruit. As the coconut trees mature and begin to bear fruit, students will be able to enjoy coconut as part of their meals.

She emphasized Goshen Global Vision's commitment to developing students into agri-preneurs, equipping them with the skills needed to be self-employed after completing their education.

The organization also aims to assist students in exploring the value chain and by-products derived from coconut.

Dr. Yayra Affram, a Research Scientist at the Center for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Sekondi, highlighted the global prominence of coconut, with Ghana leading the continent as the 12th largest producer in the world. He anticipated that coconut production could surpass cocoa in the next decade.

Unlike cocoa, coconut has no weather restrictions, and its nutritional value makes it a valuable asset.

Dr. Affram stressed the importance of introducing students to coconut farming as a lucrative business and a potential backup employment avenue, considering the limited job security in Ghana.

Mr. Abraham Appiah, a Technical Expert at the Department of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in Sekondi, expressed the department's readiness to collaborate with Goshen Global Vision, providing technical expertise from planting to harvesting and ensuring proper agronomic practices for coconut tree growth.

Mrs. Guddy A. Ampomah Kermah, the Headmistress of Sekondi College, appreciated Goshen Global Vision's efforts in introducing rabbit rearing to the school, which has positively impacted animal production.

She pledged the school's commitment to expanding its coconut farming activities as a result of this initiative.