Rice Processing in Ghana: How Sarah Aidoo Turned a Small Rice Business into a Growing Enterprise
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A young rice processor in Ghana increased her production more than sixfold, created jobs for other youth, and became a pillar of support for her family. This is how she did it.
The Starting Point: Strong Demand but No Means to Grow
Sarah Aidoo was 26 when she began processing and selling rice in Kasoa, Ghana. Five years later, customers came steadily, but she struggled to grow the business. She sold her rice without a brand and did not stand out in a crowded market. Sarah lacked the basic equipment and the cash reserves to take the next step.
“I had difficulty with getting customers and accessing funding,” Sarah reflected. “With these limitations, competing against established traders felt nearly impossible.”
The Turning Point: A Micro-Grant, a Commercial Scale, and Professional Packaging
Things began to change when Sarah joined the Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) program. It aims to create 326,000 dignified job opportunities for young people across Ghana and operates across four core value chains (poultry, rice, soybean, and tomato), prioritizing young women and people with disabilities. The program is funded by the Mastercard Foundation, led by Agri-Impact, and implemented by TechnoServe among other partners.
Sarah applied for the HAPPY microbusiness program and was selected for the very first cohort. She received a $1,800 micro-grant, which she used to make three carefully chosen investments: a commercial scale, bulk raw paddy, and professional retail packaging under the brand name Kyidom Foods. The impact was clear. Her rice improved in both quality and quantity, and her market position grew steadily stronger.
Building the Business: Training, Visibility and the De Don Partnership
The grant was only the beginning. TechnoServe trained Sarah in financial management, business models, and digital marketing. She also had access to the HAPPY Nova Edtech program, which taught her to keep accurate records, refine her business model, and market her products with confidence. HAPPY also opened doors to trade fairs and exhibitions where she could market Kyidom Foods to more buyers.
With better accounting and higher visibility, her sales climbed, and her business became profitable.
Perhaps the most valuable outcome of all has been the partnerships Sarah has built. Through TechnoServe, she established a strong business relationship with De Don Company Limited. The rice processing company gives her access to large volumes of milled rice, helping her meet growing customer demand and expand her operations with confidence.
Sarah also raised her operating standards. She introduced strict handling and hygiene standards and batch traceability to align her operations with national food safety codes. She also secured her official business license, which opened the door to a new line of customers: local schools and retail supermarkets that don’t buy from informal processors.
Sarah’s Business Today: 25,000 kg a Month, New Jobs and a Bigger Dream
Today, at 31, Sarah proudly runs a growing enterprise. Her average monthly rice production has risen from 4,000 kg to 25,000 kg—more than six times what she once produced. She has hired two more young people as retailers and factory hands. She is also steadily working toward her long-term vision of becoming a full-scale rice miller.
The impact reaches beyond the business. Sarah’s increased income now lets her support her parents as they care for her younger siblings in secondary school.
Sarah is eager for continued mentorship, coaching, and stronger market linkages to take her business even further. From a small, unbranded rice trader in Kasoa to the owner of a licensed enterprise that supplies schools and supermarkets, Sarah’s journey shows what’s possible when a young person’s determination receives the right support.
“I believe my business is on track, and I dream of having my products on the shelves of all leading supermarkets in Ghana soon,” Sarah said.
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