Create sustainable markets for women farmers
Agyei Sakyiwaa, Rebbecca Asamoah, Akosua Nyarko, Ophelia Ackah, Akosua Addei, Akua Atta and Maame Yaa. Women who won in the remaining categories were:
The Passion for Farm Award— Esi Akyere, from Western Region. The award recognises an individual woman who is excited and passionate about agribusiness and contributing to the growth of her community, creating jobs, mentoring girls in the community and supporting them to take up agric, either small-scale and large-scale.
She Innovates Award— Matcom Company situated in the Western-North Region. This award goes to a woman who has or is working with the power of innovation, and adding value to her agro business. She identified a challenge within the community and the value chain, and found a solution through innovation. It could be adding value to a product, through processing or identifying a creative means of preservation or developing an appropriate technology to provide a particular solution.
Climate Smart Women Project Award— Mary perpetual Kwakuyi from Western Region. This award provides recognition for the efforts of a group of women or a woman-led organisation, implementing an outstanding project in agriculture by adopting a climate smart approach and practices that support in the transformation and development, and is sustainably increasing agricultural productivity in the community. This project must be seen to be solving a real challenge and create tangible results
Outstanding Woman in Extension Services Award— Eva Adu from Western Region. This award provides recognition to women, either in the public or private sector, contributing effortlessly through training, capacity-building, advocacy, to encourage the adaptation of best practices by farmers, thereby contributing significantly to the empowerment and socio-economic development of the society and the country as a whole.
Royal Agro Award— Ekua Badu from Western
Region. Through this award, we identify a traditional leader (Queen mother) who is into agriculture herself and her personal commitment to see women in agriculture in her community develop and thrive, and is helping them in all ways possible through access to land, training, social impact programmes and advocacy.
Diamond in the Rough Award— Abena Asantewaa from Western Region. This award goes to a generational role model, making waves at the background within her community; an unsung heroine who has indeed mentored and made great strides for her family, her people and the community as a whole.
Feed to Foods Award— Edna Ama Mensah from Western Region. This is to a woman with great determination and integrity who has continuously demonstrated a positive role in poultry and livestock, and has an unwavering commitment to succeed in this sector. This person should have made a series of significant selfless contributions with a long-lasting benefit to the Livestock, Poultry or Fisheries sector.
Change Champion Award— Marian Ofori Twumasi from Western-North Region. This category goes to the professional corporate woman whose ongoing effort, passion for her job, contribution and dedication to her work in the agro space, and is contributing significantly to corporate internal change, while making a national impact.
Development Partner Award— Global Affairs Canada. This award recognises the efforts of an International organisation whose works centres on agriculture, and particularly toward the development of women in the community, encouraging to adopt best practices while adding value.
Lady of the Export Region Award— Georgina Filson from Westen Region. This category recognises and reward the regions’ most successful and innovative woman exporter, with regards to the size of the business and the export sales.
Star Woman Agripreneur Award— Rosemond Afua Afful from Western Region. This special recognition goes out to an outstanding agribusiness beginning young lady in any field of agriculture. This young woman should be seen to be excelling (i.e., efficiency in service delivery, income performance) in her field, and is already a great role model, mentoring other young girls in her community.
Princess Carla Award— Monica Nwiah from Western Region. This award recognises the efforts of a dedicated woman whose works and role affects communities positively; touching lives, mentoring, role modelling, advising, counselling and enhancing networks for other women, both young and old.
Madam Evelyn Andoh wins ultimate ‘Gold in the Soil Award’
The 63-year farmer from Wassa Akutuase in the Wassa East District was crowned the Queen of the ‘Gold in the Soil Award’. In her documentary, she revealed she farms a 128-acre farmland, consisting of cocoa, plantain, palm nut, yam, cocoyam, goat, sheep, poultry, rice, and maize. She took home a tricycle, three Knapsack sprayers, 20 boxes of fertilisers, six Wellington booths, three Lamps, T-shirt, 15 packs of maize seeds, 20 bottles of weedicide, a plaque and certificate. The Gold in the Soil Award is awarded to an agriwoman producing along the entire agricultural value chain (from production through processing, branding to marketing, etc). Exporting her products would be an added advantage. Her establishment/business should have made a recognisable impact on her community.
In his congratulatory remarks to all the women, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Yaw Frimpong Addo, said government is committed to investing in the sector to sustain the development and progress of Ghanaian women in the agric space. “I want each one of you to know that you are significant contributors of agriculture. I congratulate you all for your incredible achievements as you receive ‘Gold in the Soil Award’ today, especially to the 15 women farmers living with disabilities who have shown that your challenges do not limit your potentials. Continue to invest in your efforts and be assure that we all, as stakeholders, are here support you.”