USAID/NGGA advocate for increased opportunities for women farmers

USAID Ghana Mission Director, Mr Andrew Karas 

Women are central to all aspects of agriculture and off-farm activities in their communities, yet their right of access to agricultural information and opportunities are not met.

In parts of the country where farming has remained a male dominated occupation, it is culturally and practically unacceptable for women to have direct access farm lands not to talk of modern inputs and other productive services.

This act of gender inequality coupled with unfavourable policy formulation has over age remained a stumbling block impeding the progress of women farmers in their quest to the growth of agriculture and food security.

To this background, Care International with the support of USAID Ghana and the Northern Ghana Governance Activity, NGGA, have engaged women farmers in selected district of the Upper East on Gender and Agricultural Development Strategy II, GADS II.

GAD II which is a continuation of GADS I is targeted at enhancing women’s participation in local governance and increase access to agricultural information and opportunities.

Background

‘When women are empowered and can claim their rights and access to land, leadership , opportunities and choices, economies grow, food security is enhanced and prospects are improved for current and future generations. These are the words of Michelle Bachelet, Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women.

Indeed, women constitute the largest percentage of the workforce in the agricultural sector. Their contribution in mainstream agriculture cannot be glossed over considering the predominant role they play in the sector.

In Ghana women especially those in the Northern part of the country are mostly involved in the production of crops and animals.

As efficient as their men folks, they are practically engaged in the production of crops right from the preparation of land to planting and harvesting.

Interestingly, rural women in agriculture are discriminated against as they are culturally denied access to information, land, farm inputs and other productive services including access to financial assistance.

They have little or no control over land and are hardly acknowledged for their contribution to agricultural growth and food security.

This gender inequality has undoubtedly hindered their socio-economic well-being despite their exposure to new agricultural strategies and policies by government.

It was for this and other reasons why Care International had implemented the Gender and Agricultural Development Strategy, GADS II, a continuation of the first phase which sought to address the injustices meted out to vulnerable groups in agriculture to the development process.

Supported by USAID Ghana and a consortium of NGOs in Agric, the second phase of GADS, is being implemented in anticipation of governments resolve to finalize the affirmation action bill into law.

The project is hopeful that with the coming into force of the law, gender imbalances in all sectors including agriculture will be removed to pave for equity.

The days training workshop was therefore an avenue for educate and raise awareness on GADS II, the general agricultural policy environment and available opportunities for women.

Apart from deepening their knowledge on the GADS II, the forum further sought to raise understanding of the mandate of Women in Agricultural Development, WIAD and how they could take advantage of the available opportunities and activities to improve their agricultural production.

The focus therefore is on women. One may ask, why women aside all the thematic areas of Care International.

Mr Andrew Karas is the USAID Ghana Mission Director. He tells our reporter that his organisation is keen on advancing the cause of women not only in agriculture but also their participation in local governance.

In all 38 participants involving CSOs, MOFA staff and women agricultural leaders attended the forum. They gained knowledge on the implementation arrangement of strategic objectives of GADS II and how they could implement the relevant aspects of the said strategies.

They were taken through presentations on the significance of gender and women empowerment in global and national development with emphasis on agricultural development.

The interactive session brought to fore actions that affects women in agriculture and the way forward.

The Northern Ghana Governance Activity, NGGA, is very instrumental in the implementation of GADS II.

NGGA is a 12 million dollar project supported by the US government to improve the quality of district agricultural service delivery through strong citizen engagement.

The overall objective of the 5-year project is to increase production in agriculture for improved nutrition and increased incomes.

Care international is leading the implementation in consortium with Action Aid Ghana, SEND Ghana, and the West Africa Network for Peace building, WANEP.

So far the project has reached out to 28 districts of Northern Ghana of which seven are from the Upper East Region. They include Bolgatanga, Bongo, Bawku West, Bawku Municipal, Talensi, Nabdam and Kassena-Nankana Municipal.

GBC