The Patron of the annual Agricultural Students’ Career Guidance & Mentorship Dialogue-Bootcamp (AGSTUD Africa), Hon. Dr. Zanetor Agyeman- Rawlings, has reiterated the need for more policy directions that strategically feed into the committed efforts of young Ghanaians working hard to build careers within the country’s agricultural sector.
Hon. Zanetor Agyeman- Rawlings, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Klottey Korle Constituency, has noted that prioritizing support, and the empowerment of young people who have the passion and drive to contribute significantly to the country’s agricultural sector, is the way to go.
The Member of Parliament is expected to lead an Agri-Ted Mentorship Session, with over seventy (70) agricultural students and beginner agribusinesses, as part of the opening event activities, of the annual Agricultural Students’ Career Guidance & Mentorship Dialogue-Bootcamp (AGSTUD Africa).
Her mentorship session is expected to shape the mindset of the participants, on how best they can work together to establish the future and lay a strong foundation for a sustained Agriculture empire.
A release by Agrihouse Foundation, reveals the Agricultural students career guidance and mentorship dialogue, has for the past four(4) years, supported over 750 beneficiaries to appreciate the agric value chain opportunities, leading them to set-up beginner agribusinesses in both the crop and livestock value chain. Other beneficiaries have also ventured into processing of agric produce, including pepper, ginger, pineapple, watermelon, yoghurt and mushrooms, whiles the remaining are also serving as Agricultural Trainers and others, have also gained employment with reputable Agric institutions.
Ms Alberta Nana Akyaa Sarpong, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation
According to the Executive Director of the Agrihouse Foundation, this year’s Bootcamp, which opens on Monday, March 28 to Friday, April 1, 2022 has thirty schools participating, and this goes a long way to prove the significant impacts the Bootcamp is playing in shaping a career paths for the youth.
We started with only eight schools in 2018, and seeing the progress, the impact and the number of beneficiaries is exciting and fulfilling, she added.
Participating schools for this year’s Bootcamp includes, University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast, All Nations University, Ghana Christian University College, Methodist University, University of Energy and Natural resources, University for Development Studies, GH Media School, and Landmark University- Nigeria.
Others include, Fair River Agric Institute, Labone Senior High School, O’Reilly Senior High School, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Accra Girls Senior High School, Accra Academy High School, Ashesi University, and Adidome Agric Institute.
The rest are Asuansi Farm Institute, Damango Agric College, Ejura Agric College, Kwadaso Agric College, Wenchi Farm Institute, Ohawu Agric College, Veterinary College, Northern Youth Hub, Ashaiman Senior High School, Ngleshi Amanfro Senior High School, and Animal Health Institute.
Touching on activities lined-up for the five (5) day Bootcamp, Ms. Akosa Sarpong said, the outlined daily activities, would see the campers, being mentored, coached and trained to shape their ideas into workable agribusiness plans. They would afterwards be supported with seed capitals and inputs, to enable them kick-start their businesses.
The Day one will commence at the Jubilee House, with H.E., the Vice President leading a mentorship session on the theme, “Digitalization-The Enabler, The Game Changer, and The future for the Agri-Youth.”
Other mentors, who will speak alongside His Excellency, include the Chairman of the National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners’ Association of Ghana, (NFFAWAG), Mr. Nene Davies, Country Manager of OCP Africa, Mr. Samuel Oduro-Asare, Human Resource Director of Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Lawoetey Tettey, and representatives from the Ghana Investment Promotions Centre, and Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
Sponsors of this year’s event include ADB, OCP, Broad-spectrum, GIPC, Nanam Ventures, Mobraz, Demeter, Kofi Venyo and Bdiet
We are excited about the opportunities this year’s AG-STUD presents, the choices it will guide the campers to make and the path to take in realizing and growing a future in Agribusiness, with a focus on digitalization, Alberta noted.
His Excellency, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia will be hosting and leading an Agri-Ted mentorship session, with seventy (70) agricultural students and beginner agribusinesses, as part of the opening event activities, of the annual Agricultural Students’ Career Guidance & Mentorship Dialogue-Bootcamp (AGSTUD Africa).
The Vice President will be speaking and mentoring on the Theme; “Digitalization-The Enabler, The Game Changer, and The future for the Agri-Youth“, at the Jubilee House on March 28, 2022.
With increasing discussions on Ghana, becoming one of the most digitized economies in Africa, the Vice President’s mentorship session is expected to give in-depth understanding and appreciation of the digital trends, and how it can influence career paths of the mentees, in the field of Agribusiness, the Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa Sarpong believes.
She noted that, the Vice President is widely recognized as a passionate promoter of digitalization and his presentation will further motivate and shape the mindsets of the mentees to develop an interest in carving an Agribusiness- digitalization future. It will also delve into investing in sustainable agriculture, government’s policies and programs in place for young Ghanaians who are into, or interested in the agric sector.
We are hopeful he will further inspire the young people with stories from his childhood, academic experiences and career choices that have guided his path. She added.
Started in 2018, the Agricultural Students Career Guidance and mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp (AG-STUD), has since inception, camped, trained, mentored, enabled and directly supported 750 beneficiaries to establish various Agribusinesses.
Indirectly, about twelve thousand (12000) non-campers have equally benefitted from the mentoring, coaching, Competence-Based Training and Corporate Field Tours the Bootcamp offers.
Presently, some alumni’s have established about seventy-three (73) thriving agribusinesses.
Young James Elikem Brown, a past student of English Amanfrom SHS who was part of the Bootcamp last year, is currently cultivating a successful pineapple farm. James went into value addition after the Bootcamp, and has now registered his fruit juice company with the Food and Drugs Authority. Together with some University Graduates, he is working on a project aimed at encouraging more young people to venture into the agricultural sector.
Obed Asamoah was part of the 2019 Cohorts. He was assisted with a seed capital of Gh500 to start his mushroom farm. Within two years Obed has scaled up his production and currently supplies to African Shops in the US and UK on order. He also trains an average of 40 students each semester in Mushroom production. He also serves as a trainer at the Livestock, Poultry, Fisheries Training and Tradeshow. Obed, a natural-born leader got his skills harnessed at the Bootcamp. Through dint of hard work, he has earned a scholarship to pursue graduate studies in Asia.
This year, the 70 students-campers will be from Ejura Agric College, Kwadaso, Damango, Ohaw, Wenchi, Fair River, Asuanzi, Animal Health, Adidome and College of Agric and Environmental Studies. Others include Central University, Methodist University, Ghana Christian College, University of Ghana, UCC, Catholic University, Northern Youth hub, University of Energy and Natural resources and Ashesi University.
Touching on the activities lined-up for the five(5) day Bootcamp, Ms. Akosa Sarpong said, the outlined daily agenda is aimed at getting the campers to work in, and as Teams, develop their art of public speaking, negotiating abilities and presentation skills.
The activities outlined will also get them to further explore their creative and wear their innovative hats, which is expected to assist them identify challenges and propose solutions, in line with the overall Theme AG-STUD.
For the 5-day period, a number of mentors, coaches, speakers and trainers from various organizations, including ADB, OCP, MOFA, GIPC, FDA, Nanam Ventures, Mobraz, HD+ , Sonal Global, Kofi Venyo, Bdiet and NPRA among others.
They will also equip, coach, train and guide the campers through the thematic focuses on Communication, E-Agric, Food Safety Management principles, attractive and limitless investment Agric opportunities , digital marketing, financial proposal development, Do’s and Dont’s in building an Agribusiness and saving the agri-future through talents and creativity and many more.
There will also be morning Disciplinary and Keep fit drills, in partnership with Blue Skies and other innovative fun-related activities within their 5-day period.
We are excited about the opportunities this year’s AG-STUD presents, the choices it will guide the campers to make and the path to take in realizing and growing a future in Agribusiness, with a focus on digitalization.
The youth of today has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that, we can drive an agenda, push a project, implement an idea, when given the needed motivation, mentorship, encouragement, the necessary tools, resources , we should be able to deliver, and that is exactly what we are delivering at this year’s AG-STUD AFRICA, Alberta concluded.
The Agricultural Students Career Guidance and Mentorship Dialogue Bootcamp, have over the years been supported by ADB, OCP, Mybarnes, CDF Canada.
Agrihouse Foundation, in partnership with the Ghana National Egg Campaign Secretariat (GNECS), Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC), AWIA-African Women in Agribusiness and African Women in Animal Resources, and Agribusiness Network (AWARFA-N), will commemorate International Women’s Day with the theme, ‘Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.’
The celebration, expected to take place on Tuesday, March 8, in Accra, at the Korle- Klotey Municipal Assembly (Obra Spot) — Circle, would shine light on the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of Ghanaian women, with a call to action for accelerated women’s equality.
Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa Sarpong
In a press statement, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa Sarpong said, it is always a good time to celebrate the achievements of women, especially, the growth, successes and sustainable efforts of women working within the country’s agricultural spaces.
She said Ghanaian women continue to prove to be the backbone of the country with their resilience and incredible contributions in the fields of agriculture, academia, business, politics, education, medicine, among others.
“Agrihouse prioritizes the cultural and socio-economic empowerment of our women in agriculture. Our interventional projects including the Agriwoman Marketplace, the Gathering of the Royals, WOFAGRIC and Gold in the Soil Awards; 1 Household, 1 Garden, are all geared towards providing marketing, exhibitions, networking, training and capacity building opportunities for women working in the agric space,” she noted.
As part of activities to mark the day, she said Agrihouse would be holding the 10th edition of ‘Agriwoman Marketplace’ at the Obra Spot, alongside the launch of the 3rd Anniversary of Women in Agriculture (AWIA), and launch of ‘Eggstra O Campaign,’ being implemented by Ghana National Egg Campaign Secretariat (GNECS), American Soybean Association (ASA) and World initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH).
The Director of the Department of Social Welfare will be Chairperson for the event, whereas Madam Louise Paris, Counsellor Development, Canadian High Commission, who would deliver the keynote address. Representatives of Ecobank, Ozeand the Food, drugs Authority and Peoples Persons Scheme would make short presentations. AWIA would be leading the group to visit selected maternity, antenatal and post-natal clinics to donate some hospital equipment and use the opportunity to educate the women on the importance of consuming eggs.
President of Ghana National Egg Campaign Secretariat (GNECS), Madam Comfort Kyerewaa Acheampong, said women are an integral part of national development and deserve to be acknowledged for their immense contributions. She said eggs are nutritious whole meals for all ages and encouraged parents to feed their children a lot of egg meals.
Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC), said the poultry sector is unfortunately beset with many challenges and thus, expressed the hope that this year’s International Women’s Day Celebrations would highlight these concerns, with concrete measures to support women poultry farmers in the country.
African Women in Agribusiness and African Women in Animal Resources (AWIA), called for more collaborative efforts and partnerships among Agriwomen in the country, as a sure way to ensure more growth and productivity among women within the agric value chain.
Agribusiness Network (AWARFA-N), said women in leadership positions, especially within the agricultural sector should be underestimated, and therefore expressed the hope that issues such as inequalities in the land tenure system, poor road networks to and from farmlands, lack of capital and high interest rates of banks, poor market and inadequate processing centres would be highlighted during the celebrations.
With regards to ‘Agriwoman Marketplace,’ whiles commemorating International Women’s Day, the event would also throw light on the ‘International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste,’ commemorated globally on September 29, to reiterate the need to reduce food losses and wastage. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), since 2014, the number of people affected by hunger has been rising steadily; emphasizing that, the issues of Post-harvest Loss is a major cause of hunger and starvation in around the globe.
“Agrihouse would therefore be leading the commemoration of the day in September, to call attention to the issue of post-harvest losses, which is a big challenge in the agricultural sector. As stakeholders in the agric sector, I hope we can all mark the date and use it as an opportunity to rally more support for our women in agriculture,” she said.
Since March last year, ‘Agriwoman Marketplace’ has fully supported and empowered over 200 women led agribusinesses with a vibrant platform that allows them to network, exhibit and sell their produces as a way of helping them to recover fully from the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event has created networking opportunities for agri-women, which has led to increase in their sales, with a number of them securing major deals with local and international companies that purchase raw and semi-processed agricultural produce.
For the upcoming 10th edition, about a hundred and fifteen (115) women-led agribusinesses have already registered for the event. They include women into vegetable production, yam and tuber farming, grains and cereals. Others are also into processing groundnut paste, shea butter, Moringa, neem, coconut, castor oils, whiles the rest are into food, IT, finance, communications and marketing services.
“It promises to be a fun filled day event with activities like Musical Chairs, All Day Exhibitions and Food Bazaar. There would be Grills, Eggs, Chicken, Pork, Rabbit, and Fish sausages on sale, with music and lively interactions. I would encourage everyone to be there; come have fun and support our women in agriculture with your purchases,” Alberta said.
On February 9, Ms. Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, Founder and Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation graciously sat down with the Trade Mission’s staff for a fascinating and enlightening discussion about her and Agrihouse’s story, the future of Ghanaian agriculture, and what opportunities Israeli Agri-tech holds for Ghanaian Agribusinesses.
Tell us a bit about Agrihouse Foundation, what do you do, what are your goals?
To sum it up I would say we do Interventional agric projects. We research and identify gaps in the agric value chain, and how we can come up with initiatives that would highlight some of these challenges, bring stakeholders together, and create solutions. At the end of the day, we are impact driven and we want to see growth, empowerment, and scale up within the sector.
You are well known within the sector in Ghana for your many events and projects and for your incredible drive. Have you always been in this sector, what is your own background and how did it happen that you have become the “prophetess” of Ghanaian agric?
I have a communications background, my desire, my passion, my ambition, my focus, was to become a journalist. I went to journalism school, I had no personal or professional background in agriculture, rather came upon the industry by chance. I used to manage a communications firm. As part of my career ambitions to be a journalist I was doing PR with this firm. As part of our strategy, we were looking at different sectors and realized that in the agric sector there was a gap in events and fairs – that sort of thing. We decided to come up with an exhibition, and that was my first exposure to the sector, which really became love at first sight.
I became intrigued by the sector and wanted to know more. At the time I didn’t really know much about the sector, but I could see that we had had an impact. From the feedback we were getting, I could see that people were networking, that people were growing. But I could also see that when it came to youth in agriculture, or when it came to women in agriculture, there was very little life, there was nothing happening for them. I understood that from my own experience being invited to agric conferences. I would attend these conferences and leave without knowing what was said, they were very technical and staid, and nothing that would be on the level of the people we actually wanted to reach. I wanted to take the industry to a place where youth could fit in, where they could envision having a role, where they could see opportunities for themselves. I wanted to take the industry to a place where women farmers have a voice and an impact. I wanted to take the industry to a place where smallholder farmers’ potential is realized, where we do better in creating solutions for them. Solutions in reducing post-harvest losses, in packaging, branding. When it comes to the value chain I wanted to break it down and make it more accessible and more successful for all these marginalized and dis-empowered farmers. These are the things that we wanted to address when we started Agrihouse Foundation.
So something like an empowered and higher capacity agriculture for the masses? Fascinating. So tell us how you have gone about achieving this vision so far.
Our first intervention was in training for youth. Through my work I had the opportunity to visit some of the agric colleges, and I realized that the lands that they used to have had been taken up by building, leaving no place for them to have practical training. Additionally, there was no business training. These gaps led us to start the AG-STUD boot camp, which brings students from agric colleges from all over the country together for a week. We bring them mentors and coaches to support the development of their business ideas, to help guide them in honing their ideas to be successful. In this program, we have been very successful in changing mindsets and the atmosphere. Without this program, there was an entrepreneurial lacking, a missing excitement and energy, even amongst these young adults who have chosen agricultural studies. With the Ag-STUD program, we have now managed to foster excitement, energy, and entrepreneurial spirit. They now have a better understanding of the business potential of the sector and a clearer idea of how they can go about leveraging on it after school. Through this boot camp and follow-up support services including seed capital, we have been able to facilitate the establishment of over 200 agribusinesses including vegetable farms, rice farms, pineapple farms, as well as processing and packaging businesses. One of the greatest things is that we have been able to get them to deepen their understanding of the full value chain, and to leverage their training and education to either look for jobs all along the value chain or to create their own successful jobs through agric startups and businesses that are taking into account the full value chain – its full potential as well as the all the various pain points.
Another project of ours looked to help people diversify in agric to new areas of potential. When people thought about agric they thought only about crops, they weren’t thinking about animal farming or fisheries. We came up with the “Livestock, Poultry, and Fisheries Training and Tradeshow”. As part of this event, we have training for people that want to go into things like piggery, mushrooms, snails, etc. as well as showcasing the animal agricultural value chain. For example, someone can understand the need for fish feed and what is involved, the processing equipment, the value chain, etc. Essentially this event impresses upon people the opportunities that lie in animal farming as well as provides the platform for networking, skills development, and trade needed for the development of these agric fields, also providing an advocacy platform.
Can you give us an example of a specific young farmer who came through your boot camp and what has become of his or her initiative?
Sure, there are so many to choose from. Let’s talk about James, he was a very young guy 16-17 years old, he came through the boot camp even though he was so young. He went through the program and became very excited and motivated. He decided on an idea and worked on it with our mentors, we gave him some seed capital, really just a very small amount, for him to start pineapple farming. Today, three years later, he has a successful farm, he has 5 acres of pineapple. This might not sound like a lot to you, but for him it is a huge success. For a young kid to realize there is opportunity in agriculture, to be motivated to go into the sector, to have the confidence, the skills, and the initial capital to venture into it, and to succeed in expanding and turning a profit – these are not the norm and they are real accomplishments. The really interesting thing that sets him apart is that he not only grows, but he is also processing pineapple juice – adding value and jobs to his business, he now employs people in his community and sells pineapple shoots to others. We didn’t give him so much, really just exposure to the opportunities, motivation, mentorship, and some seeds, fertilizer, and maybe 1000 GHS in seed money; not much but that is what makes a difference between a 20-year-old kid running a successful agribusiness employing people and creating value, or a 20-year-old kid just sitting around unemployed or migrating to the city to subsist on menial labor.
These are some great projects, and just some of your activities in the Agri sector development. You’re known for your energy and passion, you seem to work non-stop. What is the main driver for you, what is the primary motivator? Is it employment? Food security? Ghanaian economic development?
I think it is primarily to see Ghana build sustainable and economically lucrative farming. At the end of the day you can break it down to; making farmers happy. To see the smiles on farmers’ faces, to see their success and satisfaction as a result of one or two interventions that you have done, that as the result of some activity of yours he or she has been able to improve his or her practices, gain access to credit, gain access to equipment through cooperatives. You can see the agric sector transitioning from subsistence farming to sustainable, viable, lucrative agri-businesses, and you can see the collective impact as well as the individual impact on individual farmers’ lives. That is my satisfaction, to see a happy secure farmer.
You talk about changing the perception of agriculture from one that is old-fashioned, boring, rife with poverty and struggle, to one of agriculture being young, exciting, full of promise and future. What does this have to do with Israel?
To me, Israel has become synonymous with successful agriculture, with creating successful agric in the harshest conditions, to how agric has advanced, and how the impact is not only reflected within Israel itself but is global. So firstly, Israel is a model of success for Ghana.
Secondly, Israel with its many technologies, its know-how, its government, is a crucial partner for us at Agrihouse that can help us achieve our goals.
My personal encounter with Israel and the Economic Mission dates back to the Agritech Israel conference which was phenomenal, participating in trade delegations to Israel, and our ongoing relationship with the Israel Trade and Economic Mission and the Israeli Embassy. You see, it is one thing to read, it is such another thing to experience and to see with your eyes what agricultural innovation, agricultural entrepreneurship, and technology are capable of, so it is inspiring and motivating. It is also very useful to foster these relationships, to get to know so many great players in the Israeli agric ecosystem, who can be, and many already are, great partners in the development of lucrative and sustainable Ghanaian agriculture.
Yes, Israel does have an amazing agric story. Coming from a point, 100 years ago when it was thought that agriculture in Israel is near impossible and not feasible, to a time where Israel often has the highest per-acre yields in the world, the most efficient methods, and is a source for many of the world’s most exciting agricultural developments, that is all very inspiring. Besides being an inspiration, where does that meet and benefit Ghanaian Agric, on the ground? Can you give me some examples?
Yes, of course. There is a large Ghanaian-Israeli collaborative training farm that is training Ghanaian youth on advanced Israeli agriculture methods and greenhouse farming. In terms of business, we are getting more and more links every day. The Israel Economic Mission has been instrumental in facilitating these connections, even from the pre-harvest event that we did together, there have been several success stories of Ghanaian-Israeli agribusiness partnerships to come out from that recent event. These partnerships are impactful, and their impact is felt very quickly, because of their technology and expertise, they provide potential for quick, yet sustainable successes in agriculture, and have the potential to create great returns on investment for Ghanaian Agribusinesses. These are not things from a talk show, these are things we see happening on the ground.
On that note; you know the Ghanaian agriculture sector well, its challenges as well as its potential. You are also well versed in the Israeli Agricultural sector – its solutions and capabilities. Based on that, where do you think there is particularly strong business potential for implementation of Israeli solutions or Israeli-Ghanaian business partnerships?
Sure, one is training and demonstration centers. Sure, one is training and demonstration centers. There is already one great project like this, but there is so much potential to expand centers like this across other agric techniques and sub-sectors, as well as having centers like this across Ghana’s 16 regions.
Another is in irrigation solutions. The majority of farmers are just waiting for the rains before they start planting. That is a very sad and underperforming state of things. I think bringing irrigation solutions, training, finding ways to make these solutions accessible, hold huge potential.
Another is logistics and mechanization centers. I’ve been in areas where the farmers don’t even own wellington boots and are keen on renting them. I think if we created platforms, where simple, yet appropriate machinery, as well as training, is available it could be profitable and impactful.
Finally, I think there is a lot of potential in custom contract farming and finding solutions that create the platforms and make the technologies available to enable this. Many people from within and Ghana and abroad approach us and ask us to manage a farm for them or to help them set up farms. There is a gap in capacity that can be outsourced and contracted to agric entrepreneurs or investors. Investors who want to start a farm can have someone give their expertise and manage it for them. I myself have a cattle farm that someone is managing for me, and I just started a goat farm, but there is a real lacking in expertise or people with the capability to provide dependable management. This is another great business avenue with potential for Ghanaian-Israel partnerships.
At the end of the day, Israel is such a great partner, because they have proven that they are creative, resourceful, yet can improvise and know how to create success with little resources and under difficult conditions. They have clearly proven that over their history, and the solutions they offer reflect those strengths. I know there is a lot of mutually beneficial potential, that together with our friends from Israel we can grow Ghanaian agriculture to great things, to a great future, and a great impact on the entire country.
Source: Israel Trade and Economic Mission to Ghana
Ghanaian women continue to play significant roles in the country’s agricultural sector. Women in the sector contribute up to seventy percent of all agricultural production, marketing and processing, mostly combining these responsibilities with raising a family and meeting other social and cultural expectations.
It is however, no secret that Ghanaian women in agriculture are also faced with several challenges, in spite of their contributions. Challenges involving lack of ownership and limited access to productive and arable land, low literacy rates, lack of access to information, low participation in agricultural governance, poverty and insufficient access to credit facilities.
Agrihouse Foundation remains one of the few non-governmental organizations in the country, working closely with women farmers and other value chain partners to address the challenges of these hardworking women across the country. With projects like the Women in Food and Agricultural Leadership Forum and Gold in the Soil Awards (Wofagric); the Monthly Agri-Woman Market Place; and the 1 household, 1 Garden Initiative (1h,1g), Agrihouse Foundation continues to train and build the capacity of women farmers to enable them scale up their agribusinesses. Example, over 25% of women who have participated in the Women in Food and Agricultural Leadership Forum and Gold in the Soil Awards are now thriving as agribusiness owners because of the agribusiness management training they receive during the event.
Since 2019, the two-part event has awarded about 300 women who excel exceptionally as farmers and have taken up leadership roles within their communities and regions, as aggregators, NGO Founders, Women Farmer Organization leaders, among others. In 2021, about 50% of women farmers recorded at the event manage 10 to 65 acres of farmland, and are between the ages 25-65years, with a number of them being women farmers with a physical challenge.
The Monthly Agri-Woman Market Place Initiative has since last year, supported and empowered women led agribusinesses by creating an engaging platform that helps them to network, exhibit and sell their produces as a way of helping them to recover fully from the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 200 women farmers and women-led agribusinesses have so far benefited from event, which also offers them opportunity to share knowledge and build their capacity through inspirational and empowerment dialogues.
The 1 household, 1 Garden Initiative (1h, 1g), has empowered about 100 households to become more self-reliant and conscious about food security, and the importance of home cooked meals. As part of the initiative, households are freely provided with 12 assorted vegetable seedlings, manure, garden tools, treated soil, Training Manual, garden structures, and given the needed support and gardening manuals to help them establish their garden and manage it. Early last month, to start the 2022 New Year, the Agrihouse Foundation team, was in Bamvim, in the Northern Region to train and support 100 women in the community to set-up backyard gardens. The team intends to expand the project to other parts of the region later this year.
Even with all these initiatives aimed at lessening the burdens of women in agriculture, whiles empowering them to build their capacity, more challenges still persist. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in year 2019 and 2020, Agrihouse Foundation undertook a research initiative that assessed how the pandemic was affecting the agricultural activities of the women farmers. Generally, they noted that the pandemic had heighted the already existing challenges in the following key areas: transportation, marketing and sales, education, self-reliance and food security assurance, and limited access.
Challenges Confronting Ghanaian Women in Agriculture
Transportation: A 44-year-old chief district farmer from the Sekyere Central District, in the Ashanti Region, Madam Ohemaa Akyaa representing about 1,700 women in cocoa and maize farming, noted the COVID-19 spread has affected their transportation system, and now causing them to sell produce at no cost at all, to avoid losses. The situation has also affected the accessibility of inputs for farming. Already, they have been facing challenges of little or no access to finance to farming, and it is affecting their entire livelihoods.
Innovative marketing or new sales approaches: Aunty Ekua Atta, 57 years, also representing a select group of about 870 women farmers in mixed cropping in the Gomoa West District Assembly, emphasized an increasing need for support in training on new markets accessibility approaches and innovative ways of selling, leadership and financial management, training on modern technology, best practices, cooperative structure development, mentorship and training in maintaining food production in crisis.
Education: Also, Madam Asabea, 62 years, representing 647 women cooperatives in cocoa and cashew in the Goaso Municipal and Ahafo region, shared the challenges family farmers are facing since the lockdown of schools, which has brought school feeding to a halt. She highlighted the need for more education on social distancing for farmers during this crisis and provision of PEs, capital for production and farming inputs.
Skilled training for self-reliance & food security assurance: Again, about thirty-two (32) young female student Agronomists and agripreneurs, currently unemployed, spoke of the challenges they are facing to afford a day’s meal and the call for skilled training to support and be useful to their communities, during this time of crisis.
Limited access to markets: About 500 women Smallholder farmers and processors (the majority in rice parboiling, shea, baobab and Neem) from Bolgatanga, Wa, Tamale and the Brong Ahafo regions of Ghana have always expressed the need for assistance to access ready markets indicating the challenge is not limited to a particular geographical location.
FDA Certification: Some farmers who are making attempts to add value to their products before selling need to acquire certification from the Foods and Drugs Authority. They lamented about the bureaucracy of the process and the stress involved when they have to certify their processed goods. According to them, wach product from a company/entrepreneur will need to be certified separately thus increasing the cost one needs to get the certification. Though some admitted agencies like the NBSSI have been helpful the cost and processes involved in getting a product certified remain a challenge.
‘Gathering of the Royals’ to Develop Sustainable Farmers
To be considered sustainable, agriculture needs to integrate social, environmental, and economic interests. The goals of sustainable agriculture are; to help provide enough food for everyone, bring communities out of poverty and provide an enhanced quality of life for farming families, and utilize farming methods that promote soil health and reduce reliance on fossil fuels for environmental sustainability. The following are some advantages of sustainable farming:
Healthier food: Food produced by sustainable farming methods has more nutrients in it as it avoids dangerous chemical and pesticides. Crop rotation also guarantees more nutrients in fruits and vegetables while livestock farmers raise animals in a humane way without any dangerous practices such as the use of growth hormones and non-therapeutic antibiotics. Thus, the meat is safe for consumers. The food also tastes better.
Building and maintaining healthy soil: Sustainable agriculture’s focus on building and maintaining healthy soil is therefore a critical component in securing the viability of food systems worldwide. Practices recommended for building and sustaining healthy soil include planting diverse crops; reducing or eliminating tilling that can disrupt and loosen soil; and never leaving fields bear with exposed soil, which has the effect of lowering nutrient availability and allowing dry soil to blow away as dust in the wind.
Safeguarding biodiversity: Sustainable farming, embraces a diversity of plants and animal species both on-farm and off-farm in order to help produce and promote healthier foods. Hedgerows can bring non-crop vegetation into fields, creating habitats for pest predators and pollinators. Agroforestry practices can allow native trees to coexist with crops like coffee that prefer shade. Sustainable farms can be places where biodiversity thrives, sometimes successfully coexisting with adjacent wildlands, while supporting sustainable diets based on locally sourced foods.
Reduce pollution and use of chemicals: Sustainable farming reduces pollution by using natural fertilizers and using fewer chemicals. This means that farm produce is healthier and better for you. Sustainable farming incorporates integrated pest management to identify pests in the initial stages and target spraying only for particular pests limited to a particular area. This way it does not affect the bio-diversity and protects the natural wildlife.
Sustainable communities: An important aspect of sustainable farming is that it remains economically viable for farmers, farm workers, and others who are employed in the food system so that they make a liveable wage and work in a safe environment. Sustainable farming encourages the resurgence of smaller family-run farms that strengthen the rural community which benefits everyone.
‘Gathering of the Royals’ Set for Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 22
In a press statement, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa Sarpong, has noted that the maiden edition of ‘Gathering of the Royals’ is scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at the GNAT Conference Hall, in Accra. The event will bring together fifty (50) queen mothers, together with representatives from Academia, policy, Government, development agencies and Agric institutions, to explore further opportunities within the agric sector, as well as conflict resolutions alternatives towards Peace-building, and the development of sustainable farmers in the country.
Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa Sarpong
According to Ms. Akosa Sarpong, GATHERING OF THE ROYALS is a much-needed intervention that will contribute significantly to policy direction assist in structuring appropriate approaches, practices, systems and innovations for a sustained agricultural value and growth, from the community level to the top level. As part of the half-day event, there will be a Panel Conversation, with a thematic focus on Working Together: Role of Royals and the Corporate in accelerating Agri-Peace and Developing Sustainable farmers.
The Panelists for the session will include Nana Odeatwon II, Divisional queen-mother, Ketekrachie- Oti Region, Portia Asumda, Leader of Kosanaba Women Farmers & Processors Group, Bawku West, Upper East Region, Nana Akua Amoah II, Tuobodom Queen-Mother, Bono east and Ayisheitu Nahanadu Asaki, Queen-mother of Zebilla, Bawku west District. Others include Nana Akosua Bempomah, District chief farmer, Sekyere-kumawu – Ashanti Region, Mama Dzitri Novuiango II, Divisional Queen-mother of Nkonya Tradional area.
There will also be a Contributors session, which will have key industry leaders and decision-makers, like the Hon. Member of Parliament for the Klottey Korle Constituency, Hon. Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings, leading a Call-to-Action session, which will guide and build the working path and manual for Royals and Agricultural businesses. Other notable personalities including the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Yaw Frimpong Addo; the Members of Parliament for Abirem, Hon. John Osei Frimpong; corporate sponsors of the event and collaborating institutions, will all make inputs, aimed at informing Policy direction in favour of women farmers and development activities.
“We are positive by the end of the event, we would have contributed to creating sustainable working relationships, that strengthen collaborative efforts between our corporate bodies, stakeholders and traditional leaderships,” Ms. Akosa Sarpong noted.
