This thesis presents the findings and recommendations of a research project focused on designing an engagement strategy for the ACHI horticultural programme in Ghana. ACHI provides youth with practical and entrepreneurial horticulture training to address challenges such as youth unemployment, low agricultural productivity, and limited professional networks. While the programme is expanding rapidly across Ghana and has established a strong foundation in curriculum delivery, significantly less attention has been given to the pre- and post-participation phase, attracting and informing new participants and supporting and engaging alumni after graduation.

The project researches how ACHI can improve its communication and engagement across the stages of the participant journey. Through a combination of strategic analysis and user research, the thesis explores how ACHI’s brand visibility, alumni network, and participant experience can be enhanced to support sustainable growth. The findings from the strategic context analysis and interviews and questionnaires with participants and alumni were synthesised into a participant journey map that highlights key pain points and unmet needs across the pre-, during-, and post-participation phase. The research identifies three critical focus areas:
- Improving Information Sharing and Accessibility: Programme information is often fragmented or spread through informal networks. Centralising communication can increase clarity, visibility, and trust for potential participants.
- Facilitating Continuous Learning: Alumni expressed a wish for ongoing access to updated and advanced horticultural and entrepreneurial knowledge.
- Strengthening Alumni Engagement and Support: Although WhatsApp groups exist, structured alumni engagement, peer networking, mentorship, and access to resources remain limited.

To address these challenges, two core design interventions were developed:
- A website: Designed to improve accessibility and user experience, the website presents ACHI’s mission, curriculum, application process, and alumni stories in one centralised location.
- A Horticulture Business Event: A three-phase strategic plan to build long-term alumni involvement by a designed event:
- Horizon 1 – Activate: Reconnect alumni through annual events that stimulate networking, showcase their businesses and facilitate workshops.
- Horizon 2 – Expand: Integrate partners into alumni engagement, creating opportunities to share knowledge and collaborate.
- Horizon 3 – Lead: Create a mature ecosystem of stakeholders within the horticulture value chain to promote innovation, networking and collaboration while supporting inclusive growth and sector-wide transformation.

These interventions were shaped through co-creation workshops with ACHI staff and alumni, design iterations, and user testing in both Dutch and Ghanaian contexts. The final engagement strategy supports ACHI in reinforcing its core educational mission while expanding its capacity to foster meaningful, long-term relationships with participants, amplifying both individual impact and sector-wide transformation.