Mr. Evans Larbi, an alumnus of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana, and Chief Executive Officer of Beit Farms Ghana, has been honoured with the Youth in Agriculture Award at the 2025 Millennium Excellence Awards. The Millennium Excellence Awards, held under the patronage of His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, celebrates outstanding individuals whose work has contributed significantly to national development and global progress across various fields, including science, governance, academia, humanitarian service, and innovation.
Mr. Larbi’s journey to this national recognition began in 2019, when he participated in the WACCI–Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Global Start-up Lab (GSL) under the Centre’s Kofi Annan Enterprise Hub for Agricultural Innovation (KAEHAI). The programme proved pivotal in shaping his entrepreneurial path, ultimately leading to the establishment of Beit Farms Ghana.
“The WACCI–MIT GSL was a life-changing experience,” Mr. Larbi reflects. “It equipped me with the hands-on skills, knowledge, and innovative ideas I needed for a successful career in agriculture. I owe much of my progress to that foundation.”
Building on that foundation, he launched Beit Farms, which has since grown remarkably in scope and impact. The company currently operates a 25-acre vegetable farm and employs 25 field workers and six permanent staff, many of whom are women and youth from rural communities.
In 2021, Beit Farms received international recognition, winning The Bizz Hybrid Excellence Award from the World Confederation of Businesses. The enterprise continues to break new ground in digital agriculture with the launch of the Beit DUAPA mobile app, which provides farmers with access to ready markets, credit, insurance, agricultural inputs, advisories, and research updates.
Beit Farms has also established the Beit Smallholder Farmers Association, which now boasts over 60,000 members across Ghana—80% of whom are women and youth. In addition, the enterprise manages more than 500 acres of farmland across the country for private clients and oversees over 10 commercial farms.
“My goal has always been to empower young farmers and drive innovation in agriculture,” said Mr. Larbi. “This national recognition is a testament to what young people can achieve with the right support.”
Beyond farming, Beit Farms has led impactful community initiatives, including the construction of six classrooms, an IT lab, a library, a sports complex, and a staff common room for a school in Kplandey. These projects are driving rural development and empowering young people through access to education and opportunity.
Looking ahead, Mr. Larbi aims to scale operations at Beit Farms to create over 10,000 new jobs for young people along the entire agricultural value chain.
WACCI extends heartfelt congratulations to Evans Larbi for this well-deserved honour and remains committed to nurturing more changemakers through its training, innovation, and entrepreneurship programmes.
