Government reaffirms commitment to empowering women and youth in agriculture at EWAYES 25 summit in Accra

The government has reiterated its commitment to strengthening Ghana’s agriculture sector through programmes and systems that improve access to finance, markets, knowledge, and opportunities for women and youth.

Dr Peter Boamah Otukunor, Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, highlighted that women and youth, despite being the backbone of the agricultural sector, remain marginalised in accessing critical resources and opportunities. “Many are full of ideas but lack the capital to grow; others produce diligently but struggle to find markets, while some face cultural and institutional barriers that limit access to training,” Dr Otukunor said. “Pragmatic policies and systems are needed to break these barriers to empower and promote socio-economic development.”

He made the remarks at the two-day ELIGREEN Women and Youth Agribusiness Exhibition Summit (EWAYES 25) in Accra, which brought together research institutions, food producers, and processors across the value chain. The summit, themed “Breaking Barriers: Securing Market Access for Women and Youth in the Agribusiness Sector,” offered a platform to discuss challenges and opportunities in agriculture.

Under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, the government has introduced several flagship initiatives, including the Dobidi Out-grower Programme, targeting 10,000 acres of rice and 50,000 acres of maize while providing smallholder farmers with input support. The Dobidi Agro-Input Credit and Farmer Financing Platform connects farmers to agro-input credit, affordable financing, technical support, aggregators, offtakers, and other financial resources.

Dr Otukunor also unveiled the School Farm Initiative, aimed at transforming schools into hubs of agricultural learning and production across 1,000 schools covering over 15,000 acres. Additionally, the Youth Agricultural Estate Programme seeks to provide structured opportunities for young graduates through commercial farming, irrigation, and market access. “We urge financial institutions to support these initiatives and charge the youth to be part of this history-making process,” he said.

Mr Evans Darko, Head of SME Banking at Ghana Exim Bank, disclosed that the bank had invested over Gh¢50 million to finance the agricultural value chain, with ongoing investments in poultry and rice production. He encouraged youth and producers to leverage these initiatives.

Madam Sophia Karen Edem Ackuaku, Founder of ELIGREEN HUB, commended participants for attending and emphasized the need to dismantle barriers limiting access to markets, finance, and innovation for women and youth in agribusiness. “Today, we are not just talking about agribusiness; we are talking about empowerment and redefining the future of agriculture,” she said.