By: Kwadwo Ofosu Baffoe | ignewss – Techiman, Ghana
Farmers, grassroots organisations, civil society groups and gender activists have called on the government and other stakeholders to empower rural women farmers to strengthen agricultural production, improve household incomes and enhance food security.
The call was made on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Fiaso, near Forikrom in the Techiman Municipality of the Bono East Region, during a commemoration of International Rural Women’s Day.
The event was jointly organised by the Abrono Organic Farming Project (ABOFAP) and the Rural Women Farmers Association of Ghana (RUWFAG) under the theme, “Empowering Rural Women: Building a Resilient Future.”
Addressing participants, the Twafohene of Forikrom and Chief Executive Officer of ABOFAP, Nana Kwaw Adam, highlighted the significant role women play in agriculture, local economic development and household food security.
He also underscored the contribution of female farmers to the promotion of organic agriculture and climate-resilient farming practices, stressing the importance of supporting women to sustain their livelihoods and contribute to agricultural development.
A member of RUWFAG from Lawra in the Upper West Region, Madam Ziem Evelyn, encouraged rural women farmers to remain committed to their aspirations, describing agriculture as a promising sector with opportunities for investment and economic advancement.
She urged women to take advantage of opportunities in farming and remain focused on developing their agricultural businesses.
Call for Land Access and Family Support
The Head of the Department of Gender at the Bono East Regional Coordinating Council, Madam Monica Onyen, appealed to traditional authorities to make land available to rural women to enable them to expand their farming activities.
She also called on men, particularly husbands, to support their wives engaged in agriculture, noting that family support was important to helping women succeed in their farming businesses.
Madam Onyen’s appeal highlighted the need to address barriers that limit women’s access to productive resources, particularly land, as part of efforts to improve their participation in agriculture.
Meanwhile, the Women’s Leader of ABOFAP, Madam Esther Boakye Yiadom, described women as central to addressing many of the challenges confronting society.
She encouraged women to embrace organic farming and backyard gardening as practical ways of producing healthy, quality food for their households while contributing to environmental sustainability.
Float Raises Awareness
The commemoration ended with a float through the streets of Fiaso to raise public awareness of International Rural Women’s Day and recognise the contributions of rural women to agriculture and community development.
The organisers used the occasion to highlight the need for stronger collaboration among government institutions, traditional authorities, agricultural organisations and families to improve the conditions of rural women farmers.
They stressed that empowering women with access to land, resources, knowledge and support could help strengthen agricultural production, build resilient rural communities and improve food security across Ghana.
SOURCE: www.ignewss.com