The African Agribusiness Consortium (AAC) has pledged to employ all 118 Ghanaian postgraduate scholars returning from Russia to lead research, agribusiness projects and climate-smart farming initiatives aimed at transforming Ghana’s agricultural sector.
The scholars, sponsored under the AAC-RUDN scholarship programme, completed master’s and doctoral degrees in Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at Russia’s RUDN University and Peoples’ Friendship University. They were welcomed at a dinner in Accra on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
AAC said the graduates bring expertise in agronomy, crop production, soil science, environmental management, agricultural engineering and biotechnology — areas identified as critical to boosting productivity, food security and value chain development in Ghana.
“We are not just celebrating you, we are deploying you,” said Dr. Mrs. Adelaide Siaw-Agyepong, CEO of AAC and Executive Director of the Jospong Group. “AAC will create immediate platforms for you to apply your knowledge through research, commercial farms, processing facilities and agribusiness ventures across our operations.”
She described the scholarship and employment plan as a deliberate investment in human capital.
“Education is very important, but what will sustain young people is character. You can acquire many credentials, but without character you will fail. Remain humble because character will take you very far in life,” she told the scholars.
The Chairman of the Jospong Group, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, said the new employees will be integrated into AAC projects in Ghana and across 29 African countries where the Group operates. He noted that the Group’s expansion creates direct opportunities for the graduates to lead innovation in food systems.
The scholars pledged to use their training to improve local productivity and promote sustainable farming. They presented plaques to AAC and Jospong leadership in appreciation.
As part of the employment plan, AAC said the graduates will first undergo the AAC-RUDN Graduates Return and Reintegration Programme. This includes visits to AAC facilities, project sites and meetings with government institutions to align them with national agricultural priorities.
Representatives of RUDN University confirmed the MoU to sponsor 500 Ghanaian students remains active. Dr. Siaw Agyepong announced AAC is already preparing to sponsor the next cohort of about 120 students to Russia.
RUDN officials described the AAC-RUDN partnership as a model for Africa that links education directly to jobs, technology transfer and climate-smart agriculture.
AAC said the employment of the pioneer cohort marks the beginning of its long-term strategy to build a Ghanaian-led technical workforce capable of driving agricultural industrialisation and reducing reliance on food imports.
