The Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture has a track record of delivering training that prepares farmers to become agro-entrepreneurs. Graduates of our training programs are noted for setting up their own farms, winning national best farmer awards and transforming collapsing farms into profitable farms.

KITA parades a team of qualified faculty and technical support staff who have over 30 years experience in professional, vocational, and technical training in farming, agribusiness, environmental conservation, and related enterprise areas.

The farmers who have participated in KITA’s training programs have received amazing increases in their production levels, and they have been able to add value to their products to increase their incomes by 40 to 400 percent.

In consultation with academia and industrial actors in production, processing and marketing, KITA has put together a very effective training curriculum using the Competence-Based Training (CBT) approach. This ensures that participants receive the most practical training and they are able to put into practice what they learn right away. KITA’s curriculum includes aspects of records keeping, marketing and entrepreneurship that improve the competiveness of the farmers and helps them in better financial management.

KITA has won two BEST INSTITUTION AWARDS from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in December 2007, 2010, and KITA won National Best Agroforestry Farmer Award December 1992. KITA has trained over 3500 youth in agriculture with 95% gainfully employed, 68 of our graduates have won Best Farmer Awards – 13 of them below age 30.


A trainee showcasing harvested mushrooms	A trainee excited about his growing mushrooms

Peace Corps volunteers receive certificates after training	Horticulture research, hands on training

1.0. 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD SELECT KITA FOR TRAINING

1.1. Entrepreneurship and Business Plan Package:

For every course you choose, KITA offers you a unique hands–on entrepreneurship training package. You will learn to form your business name, design your complementary card, design your letterhead, design your signboard, and fill out the sample company registration forms. We will help you write your business plan using a very simple format that will make your organization fundable. We will point you in a direction where you may get start-up funding for your project.

1.2. Very Practical and Hands-On Training:

Our training package is designed after the CBT modules. Each module has specific activities that you have to be able to perform before you move on. Everybody will do the activities before they proceed to the next module!

1.3. Records Book:

We will begin your farm records with you. You will take home an exercise book which has all your tables ruled out already to help you in simple farm records and financial record keeping.

1.4. Side benefits and start-up packages:

Participants get many side benefits. For instance for a group that receives training in gari processing, we build for them an improved stove. Those who receive training in cockerel production technology, leave with fifty 10-day old chicks; trainees in rabbitry receive one doe (female rabbit) for start up. Those who receive training in mushroom farming leave with 10 to 20 mushroom bags. Improved palm oil trainees also get an improved cookstove for free.

1.5. Many centers, customized training: at your site, in your language

We have 5 short course training centers: Accra, Kwabeng, Takoradi, Techiman, Tamale. We can also bring our team to conduct the training at your site. With our team of graduates from all over Ghana, we train in all languages including French!!

1.6. Innovative Marketing Skills

We have tested many innovative marketing modules specific to the enterprises. We will teach you innovative marketing skills so that you identify, court, and engage your target market even before production. You will be part of KITA’s network of agro-entrepreneurs – sharing knowledge about best practices!

1.7 Integrating the Enterprises & Profit Centers

For every enterprise you choose, we give you exposure to one or two enterprises that you can combine with your selected enterprise to maximize your profits

2.0. High Impact Animal Farming Enterprise Modules

2.1. Poultry Production (10 Days)

This course is a practical course that covers Cockerels, layers, broilers, etc

2.2. Cockerels Production for Profit (10 Days)

Selling cockerels after breeding them for 3 – 4 weeks is a highly lucrative business. We teach you how to make additional income of 1000-2000 GHC every month in a very small space rearing cockerels and using innovative marketing strategies to market them! This course teaches you practically how to breed day-old cockerels market them for profit. The course covers how to construct your brooding house, how to transport the day old chicks, how to introduce them to your brooding house, how to provide adequate heat for them, how to formulate your quality chick mash at a very reduced cost, how to feed and give them water, how to vaccinate the chicks to prevent mortality, how to market the chicks for profit. The course also teaches you the profitability analysis of cockerel production and how to keep adequate records. You get a free entrepreneurship training package with a simple business plan.

Highlights of this Training – You prepare your breeding house on the first day, introduce 100 day old chicks and take care of them whiles you are on the program for 10 days! You leave with 50 ten-day-old chicks to start your own cockerel business. You can make 1000 to 2000GHC a month from cockerels farming and marketing.

2.3. Layers Production (10 Days)

This is a very practical course! We teach you how to brood layers and manage them until they produce eggs. We also teach you how to sustain the egg production and how to identify the bad layers so they don’t waste your feed. The course covers efficient brooding practices that eliminate mortality in the first three weeks, how to efficiently prepare your feed at all stages of growth for the layers, how to prevent diseases and maintain hygiene in your poultry house.

The course also covers how to do your financial analysis at all times to keep track of your expenditure and your income. The course also teaches you innovative ways of marketing your eggs. You will learn how to time the sales of your layers and process them to maximize income from the birds after they have finished laying.

Highlights of this training: You will be the farm manager for one day in our 5000 layers farm so you can have firsthand knowledge about managing a layers farm. You will also formulate three varieties of feed using locally available, inexpensive materials, which still providee adequate percentage of protein and calcium for your layers. You will collect, grade, sort and market 10 crates of eggs

2.4. Guinea Fowl farming, processing and marketing (10 Days)

One roasted guinea fowl is 30-40GHC (Oct 2014). Using rural poultry technology, this course will teach you how to brood and raise 100 to 500 guinea fowls in a small space and market them for profit every two months.

You will learn how to domesticate the guinea fowls, how to handle their eggs, how to hatch the eggs yourself or send them to a hatchery, how to take care of the day old guinea fowls, how to vaccinate and brood them in the first three weeks without mortality, how to formulate their feed and manage their feeding till they attain the right weight for the market. We will teach you how to process the guinea fowls. You will learn innovative ways to market your guinea fowls at the least cost at maximized prices.

The Highlights of this training: You will spend one evening at our khebab bar roasting and selling ten guinea fowls. You will formulate feed for the guinea fowls on campus and you will spend some time managing the hatching process.

2.5. Broilers Production as a Business (10 DAYS)

This 2014 Christmas one broiler is selling for 50GHC. Every 8 weeks you can raise and sell 100 – 500 broilers in a very small space. This course teaches you how to raise broilers in a very cost effective way. You will learn how to brood and raise broilers. You will learn how to prepare their feed and feed them well. You will learn how to raise them without diseases. You will learn how to administer their vaccines. The course covers how to construct and position their housing in a very cost effective way. We will teach you innovative ways to market your broilers even before they are ready. The course also covers how to keep your records and track your expenses and income in a very effective manner.

The highlights of this course: – You will participate in the construction and maintenance of a 100 chick capacity brooding house and a 100-150 capacity broiler house using local materials. You will formulate broiler feed using locally available by-products and you will spend a day managing our broiler farm, administering feed, medication, and plain water.

2.6. Rearing Sheep and Goats as a Business (5 Days)

Sheep and goats sell for 150 to 400GHC each. They are not necessarily seasonal. People buy them everyday especially goats. This course will teach you how to raise and sell 10 to 20 sheep and goats every two to three months. You will learn about suitable housing using local materials. You will learn about a variety of local and prepared feed. You will learn how to groom your sheep and goats and maintain pen hygiene. You will learn about the identification and treatment of diseases. The course covers proper identification of breeding stock and how to manage reproduction in the breeding stock as well as how to care for the young goats and sheep. You will learn how to tag the animals. The course covers proper records keeping and financial records keeping.

Highlights: You will understand the financial analysis in goat and sheep farming. You will learn pen management, keeping your own breeding stock and also buy stock that you will fatten for two to three months and sell. This course also covers innovative strategies in marketing sheep and goats.

2.7. Pig Farming and Marketing Technology (15 Days)

Pigs multiply pretty fast. Five serviced sows can give you almost 100 piglets in just four months. With good feeding, the piglets should be available for the market after 6 months. This course will teach you how to reproduce 100 pigs in three months and raise them to be ready for the market in 4 to 6 months. It will cover how to prepare high quality, inexpensive feed for your piglets. The course covers selection of breeding stock, best breeding practices to avoid mortality of piglets, housing design and hygienic considerations. The course will also cover how to prevent diseases, identify disease and how to treat diseases in pig farming. The course will also cover records keeping for your stock, records for your feed, and records for your financial expenditure. The course also discusses financial considerations in pig farming technology. The course will discuss other innovative ways to market your pigs.

Highlights:

You will spend the course in our 600-pigs farm. You will service pigs, feed pigs, prepare pig feed, vaccinate pigs, and update our pig farm record books. You will participate in the weighing and slaughtering of pigs as well as processing for the market. You will spend a day practicing with KITA staff innovative ways of marketing.

2.8. Turkey Farming and Marketing (10 Days)

Male turkeys sell for 180 to 250GHC each. This course will teach you practically how to raise 200 to 400 turkeys in 8 months using a rural poultry technology. The course covers how to design the turkey pen using local materials, how to build turkey brooding house and brood turkey chicks to avoid mortality, how to prepare their feed using local materials, how to vaccinate turkeys. Practically the course will teach you innovative ways of marketing your turkeys. The course also covers records keeping on stock and finances. The course will also discuss the financial viability of turkey farming at all levels.

Highlights of the course: You will handle turkey, identify their diseases and try to treat them. You will construct turkey brooding house and hatch some turkey eggs. You will prepare feed for turkey. You will slaughter and prepare turkey for the table and for marketing. You will practice some of the innovative ways of marketing turkeys.

2.9. Rabbit Farming and Marketing Technology (3 days)

One rabbit sells for 30-50GHC. This course will teach you how to produce over 100 rabbits in 4 months. It will also teach you innovative ways of marketing rabbits. The course covers housing, and construction of housing using local materials, identification of over 30 available wild leaves that you can use to feed your rabbits. You will learn how to identify good parent stock and how to breed the rabbits and prevent mortality, how to prepare their feed if you want to give them other feed apart from leaves. The course also covers how to maintain housing hygiene and how to prevent diseases in rabbit farming. The course will also teach you how to keep good records in rabbit production, covering stock, feed, financials and breeding.

Highlights: You will identify rabbit sexes, identify whether they are on heat, and you will cross them. You will identify and harvest 15 to 20 different types of feed for the rabbit on your own. You will help to build a rabbit hutch with local materials and you will skin rabbit and process rabbit meat as khebabs for KITA’s restaurant.

2.10. Grasscutter Farming technology

One crossed grasscutter sells for 150GHC and a male grasscutter ready for consumption is 150GHC. This course will teach you how to breed grasscutters as a business. You will learn how to construct grasscutter housing using local materials, and how to place them appropriately. You will learn how to breed the grasscutters, how to take care of the young ones. You will identify over 30 varieties of feedstock that you can use to feed the grasscutters. You will also learn how to prepare feed for them. You will learn how to identify, prevent and treat diseases. You will learn the financial viability of grasscutter farming. The course also covers innovative ways of marketing grasscutters.

3.0. Non Traditional Agribusiness Enterprises (10 DAYS)

3.1. Fish farming, processing and marketing (Tilapia & Catfish) 10 Days

The Fish Farming Technology course covers contemporary technologies in constructing a fish farm from start to finish and managing the fish pond for profit. The course content includes:

Contemporary Systems of Fish Farming, Factors to Consider in the Production of Fish, Site selection, Construction of Pond, Maintenance of pond, Fish Feed and Feeding of fish, Production of fish eggs/fingerlings, Health Management and Diseases Prevention in Fish Farming, Harvesting of Fish, Fish Processing, Marketing of Fish in Ghana, Economic Analysis in Fish Farming – Tilapia and Mud Fish, Strategies in Reviving a Collapsing Fish Farm

By the completion of this course, students will acquire the skills, knowledge and understanding to effectively set up a fish farm and manage it for sustained growth. They will also acquire the skills to process and market fish and also revive collapsing fish ponds. They will also be capable of analyzing a fish farm enterprise to determine its profitability.

3.2. Fish Fingerlings Production (10 Days)

Fish fingerlings production is a very lucrative business. KITA has engaged in this business for more than 10 years. We will teach you practical tilapia and cat fish fingerlings production in 10 days. The course covers site selection for fish fingerling production, site design, how to construct the site, positioning your water circulation system. How to identify quality parents stock for the eggs and how to strip

your eggs and fertilize them, how to change the sex of Tilapia, how to reduce mortality of the fingerlings and how to condition them for transport, how to maintain their health and nutrition and keep hygiene at the site. The course covers records keeping for stock and finances as well as innovative practices in marketing your produce.

3.3. Mushrooms Farming, Packaging and Marketing (5-10 Days)

KITAs mushroom production training teaches you how to you can make 1000-1500 GHC a month from Mushroom production in a very small space. You will learn practical current ways of site selection, identification of sources of materials for mushroom production, composting, bagging, sterilization, spawning, and incubation. You will learn cropping, maintenance of hygiene and cold temperature in your cropping house, harvesting, bagging, packaging, and marketing. We will teach you how to preserve fresh mushrooms for up to one week. We will teach you innovative techniques in marketing all fresh mushrooms and mushroom bags as well we have the track record.

Bagging

Cropping

Harvesting

3.4. Snail farming and marketing (10 Days)

The course covers how to plan a snail-farming venture, financial viability analysis in snail rearing, choosing a system, costs of constructing snail pens, positioning of snail pens, and the identification of suitable and healthy tropical snail species for farming: Achatina achatina, Achatina fulica, Archachatina marginata. The course will also cover the environmental requirements for raising snails.

The course will also cover feeding snails, the options for their housing: Car tires, oil drums, Hutch boxes, Trench pens, Mini-paddock pens, and Free-range pens. The course will also cover selecting breeding stock, nursery, rearing density, seasonal and daily management, snail farming tools and equipment, records keeping in snail production. Pest and disease management: predators, parasites and diseases, processing and consumption of snail meat are also covered. The course covers innovative strategies in packaging and marketing of snails, including local and export markets

3.5. Beekeeping, Hive construction, Equipment Supplies, Honey Processing, Packaging & Marketing (10 days)

One Hive can yield 2 to 4 gallons of honey per year and 5 gallons of pure honey (Kuffour Gallon) sell for 350 to 500GHC. KITA will teach you how to keep bees in a very productive way. We will teach you all about honey production as we have learnt in 30 years of producing fresh pure honey for the local and export market. You will learn hive construction using innovative local materials. You will learn baiting and attracting the bees as well as keeping them. You will learn how to protect the environment of your apiary and your bee hives and what flowers to keep in their environment to make them happy. You will learn harvesting and the processing of the honey and bees wax into other products. We will also teach you innovative ways of marketing honey and bee products.
5.0. Available High Impact Crops and Cash Crop Farming

5.1. Integrated exotic vegetable farming & marketing for profit

Vegetable production is one of the fastest income generating agricultural ventures. We will teach you how to make 1000-2000 GHC every month from vegetable farming. You will learn how to make money in just forty days after starting your project and how the other vegetables will kick in 6 weeks, 8 weeks, and 10 weeks. You will learn site selection, nurseries management, land preparation, organic ways to grow your vegetables, how to apply chemicals and fertilizers, how to identify matured fruits, etc. We will teach you how to time your production to make the most money out of the various combinations of vegetables. More importantly we will teach you innovative ways of marketing your vegetables.

5.2. Integrated local vegetable farming and marketing for profit

Local vegetables yield high profits these days. Kontomire, aleefu, ayoyo, boma, garden eggs, okro, pepper, you name them. KITA will teach you how to produce these vegetables and make money from them in just 4 weeks. You can make 1000-2000GHC a month from integrated local vegetables production and marketing.

5.3. Pineapple Farming and processing for profit

Do you want to make money from pineapple production. KITA can offer you the best training to produce, process and package your pineapples professionally for profit. We will teach you how to site your pineapple project, raise healthy planting materials, plant them and go through the cultural practices for very healthy products. We will teach you how to process your products and also market them.

5.4. Nurseries management as a business

Selling young plants from vegetables, flowers, to cash crops, and fruit crops is a wonderful income generating agro-enterprise. This course teaches you how to make money from young plants. Site selection treatment of your seeds and planting materials, shading and protecting them from harsh environment, preventing them from catching diseases in their early stages and more importantly we will teach you innovative ways of marketing all your seedlings.

5.5 Citrus Farming, processing and marketing as a business

This course teaches you how to grow citrus profitably. The course covers budding, reducing fruit fall, and improving yield. It also teaches you processing of citrus into different products for sale. It will also teach you how to process citrus by-products into other products for profit. This course teaches you how to be extremely innovative in the business of citrus production, processing, packaging and marketing.

5.6 Landscape Design and Floriculture as a Profession

Growing and selling flowers, and helping house owners and companies to design their landscape can give you over 1000-5000GHC a month if you engage in innovative marketing strategies. This course will teach you landscaping and design as well as growing and packaging different types of flowers and plants for landscape beautification. You will identify different varieties of plants and their uses in landscape design. You will learn how to package them in different pots and bowls for attractiveness. You will learn how to design the landscape beautifully to cater for different purposes. You will learn the difference in the varieties of grass and their conditions for use. You will learn how to market yourself and your products and how to keep your clients so that you continue to maintain their landscape for them weekly for extra income.

5.7. Cocoa Agronomy

This is a special course designed for those who want to enter into cocoa farming or enter into any of the lucrative cocoa buying and extension companies like COCOBOD, KUAPA, WIENCO, etc. The course lets you understand cocoa production from seed selection to harvesting and drying.

6. Available Business Development and Management Skills Training Courses

6.1. Savings and Banking Culture

This course is intended to create the awareness of trainees to the benefits of savings and impart in them practical ways by which they can develop the habit of savings. The course also helps participants to understand banking generally so they will know how and when to deal with the banks and how to select a good savings scheme.

6.2. Credit Management:

This course helps participants to know how to access credit and how to manage the credit. By the end of the course the participants would learn how to put credit to good use to maximize its returns and be able to pay back.

6.3. Business Management Skills Training for SMES:

This is a special course for SME owners and managers or people who intend to start their own agribusiness. Participants learn how to manage their business profitably.

6.4. Start your own business with little or no capital:

This course teaches participants how they can start a business and sustain the business. It takes participants through a practical process to grow their ideas into a business plan and to lay down practical ways to implement the business plans

6.5. Entrepreneurship Training:

This course take participants through a practical step by step process that helps them to think and act like entrepreneurs

6.6. Group dynamics and Leadership Training skills for groups

This training is targeted towards SMEs to be able to form groups and strengthen group cohesion, empower the leaders and provide direction and purpose for the group. With practical examples and experiences from developed groups, trainees are inspired with the skills to strengthen their groups and better the lives of the members.

6.7. Practical Training in Innovative Marketing of Agricultural Produce

This course teaches you how to market agro-products innovatively. You can only make money from your produce if you market them. Marketing is a skill that every farmer should master. This course will teach you innovative ways to package your products to appeal to the buyer so that the consumer will come after you wherever you are.

6.8. Records Keeping for Agricultural Productivity (5 Days)

This course will teach you how to keep perfect records for your farm or agribusiness enterprise. You will know how to keep financial records, records of your stock, your feed, your employees and human resources, your animals, your buyers, your suppliers and how to have access to them quickly. For those interested in digital records keeping, we will teach you how to use your PC to create and track all these records.

6.9. Writing Project Proposals (LFA) and Business Plans (5 Days)

This course will teach you how to pitch your business for external financing either in the form of grants or loans. It’s all in how you present your business and its future potential. This course will support you in designing your business plan before you leave KITA’s campus or the training grounds. It is very engaging and entertaining and you will do it even without knowing.

6.10. Farm Management (5 Days)

This is a practical course that teaches you how to manage your farm or agribusiness for profit. The Farm Management Technology course covers current managerial principles as applicable to integrated combinations of farm and agricultural enterprises for sustained income generation in the short term, medium term, and long term.

Course content includes:

Scope of farm management and agricultural enterprises management
Management functions, planning, organizing, coordinating, directing and controlling, relative to farming and agro-enterprises
Farm Records
Production functions and concepts that control production.
Principles of Diminishing Returns relative to Agric Machinery and Farm Housing
Comparative Cost Analysis, Least Cost Combination Analysis & Capacity Analysis
Opportunity Cost Doctrine
Break-even analysis, Financial Analysis for Informed Selection of Agro-enterprise
Gross Margin Analysis as related to Agricultural/Farm Enterprise Selection
Simple Accounting Principles – Cash Book, Profit & Loss Account, Balance Sheet

By the completion of the course, students will acquire the skills, knowledge and understanding to effectively manage any farm or agricultural enterprise for sustained growth. They will also acquire the skills to make the best financial and managerial decisions for agricultural productivity.

6.11. Contract Farming (10 Days)

This course teaches you how to engage other people to produce for you and how to enter into contracts to supply produce to other people.

7. Available High Impact Courses in Agro Processing:

7.1. Fortified Gari processing, Packaging and marketing (10 Days)

This course teaches Gari Processors how to re-enforce the nutrients in the Gari by adding soyabeans and other materials and packaging them for specifically identified markets. We will teach you to increase the shelf life and crispiness of the gari.

7.2. Cassava processing into Biscuits and drinks (10 Days)

This course teaches cassava farmers how to process their products into other products. Participants learn simple ways of processing gari into biscuits, tapioca, starch and other products using regular house hold equipment. We also teach you how to package and market these products

7.3. Quality improvement in Palm Oil processing, Packaging and Marketing (10 Days)

This course teaches participants practical ways of ensuring higher-quality palm oil from their traditional practices. The extracted palm oil has better shelf life, and smells better. We teach them how to prepare Zomi, to achieve a greater profit. We also teach them how to package and market their oil, as well as track the expenses and income made from their business.

7.4. Quality improvement in Pito Brewing (10 Days)

We teach pito brewers how to extract better flavoured pito from their millet and also how to reduce their expenditure in pito brewing.

7.5. Soya Bean processing into milk and soya khebab (10 Days)

7.6. Quality improvement in palm kernel oil (10 Days)

7.7. Fruit Juice processing, Packaging and Marketing (10 Days)

This course imparts into participants how to use simple equipment to process fruits such mango, pineapple, citrus, watermelon and cashew and vegetables such as carrots, and grains such as soyabeans into liquid drinks and juices. It also teaches how to extend the shelf life of fruits produced and also how to package them. The course also teaches innovative ways to get your product to appeal to the consumer at a very good price.

7.8. Moringa Processing into Household Products – Powder, Cream, Teabags, Soaps, And Toothpaste (10 – 14 Days)

This course teaches how to process Moringa Oleifera into household consumable products. The course takes you through the harvesting of fresh moringa leaves, drying them and processing them into nutitional powder, cream, teabags, soaps, liquid soaps, and toothpaste. The course also teaches you innovative ways of packaging and marketing the produce. It also covers records keeping

8.
Other Services That KITA Offer

8.1. Supplying of Agro-Processing Equipment

KITA supplies agro-processing equipment through the rent-to–own business module. KITA does this through its subsidiary company More Prosperity Company Ltd. (MPC). We supply expellers, crushers, mist blowers, tractors, plows etc. We also supply bee-keeping equipment, mushroom production equipment, pineapple processing equipment and all equipment related to the short courses we offer including poultry, etc.

8.2. Supplying of Improved Cookstoves

KITA supplies improved institutional cookstoves to SMEs, Schools, and Institutions and Households. Cookstoves supplied by KITA in conjunction with the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) have been tested to be very efficient and to reduce the fuelwood and charcoal consumption by 40-60 percent. Users make huge savings off their expenditure on fuelwood and charcoal. Improved cookstoves are available for fish smokers, gari-processors, kenkey makers, pito brewers, shea nut processers, palm oil and palm kernel oil processors, food vendors, etc.

8.3. Supplying of Solar Lanterns

KITA supplies solar lanterns to rural households and corporate institutions, schools and hospitals. Available Solar lamps include Barefoot and Sunken

8.4. Technical Support to Prospective and Practicing Farmers

KITA also provides consultancy to help prospective farmers to set up their own farms. KITA has over 30 years experience in establishing profitable and financially viable farms. KITA’s team will help you begin your farm and establish it as a business. For every farm that you want to establish, KITA staff have the expertise to assist you to set it up profitably. From fish farm to large scale plantations – we will be there to help you set it up profitably. We have so many references!

9. BRIEF OVERVIEW OF KITA

The Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture (KITA) was established in 1984, by its founder Dr. Noah Owusu-Takyi, in response to unemployment among youth and the demand for quality and professional career oriented training in Agriculture. Located in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region of Ghana, KITA is a leading center for action-oriented research, technology transfer, education, livelihood empowerment in farming, agriculture, agribusiness, renewable energy and environmental resources management.

KITA is a non-profit, tropical agriculture institute which excels in sustainable rural development and community extension addressing climate change and environmental degradation. The aim of KITA is to stimulate employment opportunities and economic development in Ghana’s agricultural industry. KITA also provides specialized training in tropical agriculture, permaculture (ecological agriculture), eco-village design, entrepreneurship and financial services.

KITA has a College, a Business Development and Consultancy center, and a Rural Development and Community Extension center.

9.1. KITA’s College of Tropical Agriculture (KITA-COTA)

The mission of KITA’s College of Tropical Agriculture (COTA) is to provide professional, technical education and training, business development services, technology development and transfer, and evidence-based research towards increased productivity and efficiency along the agricultural value chains targeting youth, women and farmer groups.

KITA’s COTA, which is accredited by the National Accreditation Board, boasts of a variety of Pre-Tertiary, Tertiary, as well as Technical and Vocational Certificate courses to meet this objective. These courses include, but are not limited to, Agricultural Engineering, Agribusiness, Agroforestry, Permaculture, Agricultural Marketing and International Trade, Business Management and Entrepreneurship, and Agro-processing. Students of KITA’s COTA combine their classroom studies with experiential and participatory learning through on-campus agricultural projects.

Graduates of our training programs are noted for setting up their own farms, winning national best farmer awards and transforming collapsing farms into profitable farms.

9.2. KITA’s Rural Development & Community Extension Center (KITA-RDCE)

KITA’s Rural Development and Community Extension center is very active in rural development and working in over 150 communities in all 10 regions of Ghana working to improve the lives of farmers, agribusiness and Small and Medium Scale Agro enterprises. This Center also works through KITA’s Alumni of over 2700 members across Ghana and other West African countries, who are noted as efficient environmental and renewable energy ambassadors.

9.3. KITA’s Consultancy and Business Development Center

KITA’s Consultancy and Business Development center provides services that cut across Environmental Conservation, Rural and Livelihood Development, Project Design, and Monitoring and Evaluation and Micro-finance. KITAs Consultancy and Business Development Center also provides technical assistance to prospective farmers, who want to set up their own farms and agri-businesses, and practicing agri-business managers who want to make their farms and SMEs more efficient.

9.4. KITA Staff

Currently, within these three centers, KITA has 23 part time academic and consultancy staff, 14 technical and administrative team, 9 community development experts, and 7 international volunteers and exchange students from European, Canadian and American Universities. KITA has a dynamic leadership steering the affairs of the institution. KITA is proud of its significant contribution to the rural development in Ghana.

9.5. KITA Campus

The campus of KITA is full of activity, hosting the College and the Centers. The main campus is located at Domeabra, in the Ejisu Juaben District, near Crops Research Institute and KNUST, Kumasi. Kumasi is the capital city of the Ashanti region, and is located in the heart of the West African nation of Ghana.

The KITA Campus has 4.3 acres of land hosting 7 buildings and many research and training demonstration projects. The main building is used for administration and departmental offices. There are 8 lecture rooms in 2 buildings. KITA has further lecturers quarters, student quarters, auditorium, library, laboratory and office of the student representative council. KITA has ample storage and workshop facilities. The training demonstration projects include crop production, forest gardening, animal rearing, fish farming, beekeeping, and mushroom cultivation. Recently two biogas digester projects were inaugurated at KITA, to produce biogas for cooking and electricity on campus from organic waste products. KITA is leading a clean cook stove research project on campus.

KITA also has projects in the Eastern Region and Brong Ahafo region. KITA owns a total land area of 80 hectares. 15.2 of this is Teak and Oil palm plantation, 17.7 hectors of integrated fruit crops plantation and wood lot plantation, the rest is farm land and training demonstration projects.

Since 1984, KITA has hosted over 3500 students, with an impressive 96.9% employment rate after graduation. Furthermore, 68 KITA graduates have won Best Farmer Awards.

KITA has partnered with and collaborated with numerous international organizations and institutions, including Trees for the Future, Perpetual Prosperity Pumps Foundation, the Rural Enterprises Programme, GIZ, U.S. African Development Foundation, World of Hope International, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation etc.

10.0 VISION AND MISSION:

10.1. Vision

To unlock the potential of tropical agriculture, agribusiness, and renewable energy in Ghana and beyond for sustainable development

10.2. MISSION: To provide an environment for high-impact training, consultancy and research to improve the profitability and sustainability of agriculture, agribusiness, and renewable energy practices in Ghana and beyond

11.0 OVERVIEW OF CAPACITIES & SERVICES OFFERED

Training
- Provision of vocational and technical training in agriculture, agribusiness and entrepreneurship
- Catered towards youth, women, prospective and practicing farmers
- Long, short and correspondence courses
- Higher National Diplomas, Diplomas and Certificate Courses
- Participatory, practical learning combined with theoretical training
Consultancy and Business Development
- Microfinance
- Consultation in permaculture, agroforestry, and eco-village design
- Marketing of agro-processing equipment
- Marketing or Renewable energy equipment
- Alternative livelihood promotion such as:
  - Mushroom cultivation
  - Livestock rearing: goat, duck, chicken, turkey, donkey, pigs
  - Alternative livestock rearing: snail, grasscutter, rabbit
  - Apiculture
  - Moringa Processing into household, medicinal and plant enhancement products
- Research and Development
  - Agriculture and rural enterprises
  - Animal Science
  - Farmer-focused, on-farm research
  - Agroforestry technology
  - Renewable energy including biogas digestors, solar
  - Fuel-efficient, clean cookstoves
- Sustainable Rural Development
  - Scaling-up sustainable agriculture practices to address poverty and sustain ecosystems
  - Bottom-up, social and economic development to improve rural livelihoods through participation of rural communities and farmers
  - Environmental conservation and climate change mitigation/adaptation strategies
  - Alternative Livelihood Empowerment and diversification of on-farm income sources
  - Overall goal is to enhance Food Security in Ghana, which means access at all times to healthy, safe and affordable food for all

12.0. PROJECT PARTNERS

12.1. SNV Netherlands Development Organization, and the Centre for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (CEESD)

2014: Collaboration in research and development of energy-efficient and clean cook-stoves to promote sustainable utilization of fuel wood and charcoal. Designed to meet standards for fuel efficiency, safety, reduced emissions, affordability, durability, and convenience for household cooking.
2014: Joint implementation of a Biogas Digester on KITA campus to process human and animal waste to generate electricity and organic fertilizer. Designed to provide a low-cost solution to sanitation problems, while also producing valuable by-products.
Development and marketing of improved institutional woodfuel cookstoves
Promotion and marketing of Enno Stoves, Philips Stoves, KITAPA1
Process Characterization of Pito Brewing, Rice Parboiling
USADF Power Africa Challenge
Marketing of Solar Lanterns


KITA/SNV-CEESD Biogas Digester	A student Cooking with Biogas

12.2. Global Ecovillage Network – Ghana (GEN Ghana)

2011 – present: Collaboration to promote Ecovillage strategies as models of sustainable development in Ghana, to build capacities of community leaders, and to enhance Ecovillage technology transfer to improve rural livelihoods and social enterprises. Goal is to build capacity of KITA staff in Ecovillage design principles, and to strengthen GEN Ghana.

12.3. Green Microfinance (GMf)

2012- present: Support received from Green Micro Finance for the construction of a pilot biogas-latrine for a family of five on KITA’s campus. Designed to supply cooking gas to a near-by kitchen, and to produce high-value organic manure.

12.4. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA)

2004-2008: Collaboration in the implementation of the nationwide Roots and Tubers Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTIMP). Designed to focus on root and tuber crops because of their importance in household food security, because they are grown by resource-poor and smallholder farmers, and because their development will help diversify agricultural sector development.

12.5. Peace Corps

2005 – present Provision of training, technical assistance and support to Peace Corps Volunteers on tree planting, agroforestry, and alternative livelihoods, such as agroprocessing, fish farming, mushroom cultivation, grasscutter rearing, rabbitry and snail farming.

12.6. Perpetual Prosperity Pumps Foundation (PPPF)

2007 – 2010 Collaboration on PPPF’s Adopt-a-Family Program, a not-for-profit program that reuses/recycles used athletic shoes to fund the provision of resources and capacity-building for rural farming families in Ghana.

12.7. Rural Enterprises Programme (REP)

2000 – present: Collaboration in consultancy in quality improvement of palm oil processing, gari processing, grasscutter rearing, mushroom cultivation, and business management for micro and small-scale rural enterprises.

12.8. Trees for the Future (TFTF)

2009 – present: Collaboration in efforts to raise awareness about climate change and environmental problems. Involves tree-planting demonstrations, and community extension work to empower farmers to pursue alternative livelihoods in agro-processing and agroforestry.

Tree Pals Program

– Present: – Work with Basic to SHS schools in the establishment of forest gardens, school boundary projects

12.10.United States African Development Foundation (USADF)

1991 Trainee Farmers Cooperative Project, providing support for training demonstration farms which also generated income for trainees as a revolving fund credit scheme in Rabbitory, Beekeeping, and irrigated Vegetable Production

12.11.Volunteers for Sustainable Development (VSD)

2011: VSD helps to improve the quality of volunteer placements at KITA through coordination of placements, hospitality services and the monitoring and supervision of volunteers.

12.12.World of Hope International (WOHI)

2009 – present: Collaboration in community extension work and training. Water and sanitation with moringa seed treatment. Tree planting. Grasscutter rearing. Moringa products making. In Samsam Odumase.

12.13.Youth Volunteers for the Environment (YVE)

2008 – present: Collaboration in advocacy and education of school-age children in Ghana in environmental and climate change awareness. Advocacy projects include tree planting demonstrations and education on sustainable waste management practices.

12.14.Commonwealth Development Cooperation (Secretariate) (Cdc)

1998: Participatory Rural Appraisal Ejisu Juaben District for an Agricultural Services Center to serve 8 Communities

13.0. REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Name of Institution: Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Type of Organization: Non-Governmental Institution/College

Registration Number: Registrar of Companies: No: 44,882

National Vocational Training Institute: No: NVTI/098/AR

Ministry of Education – Ghana Private Schools Unit: No. PA/76/86

Ministry of Food & Agriculture

Date of Registration: Registrar of Companies: 21^st February, 2004 – RENEWAL

National Vocational Training Institute: December 2, 1991

Ghana Private School Unit: August 20, 1986

Place of Registration: Accra

Date of Incorporation: August 1, 1984

Affiliated Institutions: Ghana Organic Agricultural Network

International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements

Global Eco-Village Network

14.0. FOCUS FOR NEXT FIVE YEARS

Agribusiness Value Chain Development to Provide Employment for Graduates In Poultry, Soybeans, Fisheries, and Vegetables Value Chains
Gainful Employment for Graduates to Increase Agricultural Productivity
Improving Technical and Vocational Training Delivery in Agriculture.
Agro-processing and Value-Addition, Provision of Agro-Processing Equipment through Rent-To Own Business Models, Packaging and Marketing.
Better Environmental Practices In Agric- Organic Farming, Permaculture Design, Eco-Village Design, Forest Garden, Medicinal Plant Propagation
Conservation and Improvement of Forests for Forest By-products/Ecosystem Services and to Help Communities Protect their Forests and Mangroves to Get Carbon Credit and REDD+
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficient Technology Development and Transfer to Reduce Environmental Degradation, Improve Incomes, and Make lives better
Research into Financial Viability of High-Impact Farming, Agribusiness, and Agro-Processing activities
Financial Services and Linkages for Farmers, SMEs, Agribusinesses and Traders.
Organizing Markets and Exports for our 3000 Alumni’ Farm Produce, Value-Added Goods, Agro-Inputs, and Agro-Processing Equipment
Infrastructure Development and Improvement in Training Facilities
Expansion and Capacity Building of Regional Branches to serve Various Countries
Development of National Youth Agricultural Cooperative Centers

SHORT COURSES (MICRO-ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT)

1.0. KITA’s Capacity Statement on Practical (Vocational Technical) Training