Adwoa Wiafe (left) handing over some farm equipment to the farmers
MTN GHANA Foundation has trained some 40 female farmers on modern farming practices to mark the International Day of Rural Women.
The women were drawn from Pantang, Aboma and Madina Social Welfare, all in Greater Accra.
In partnership with the Defarmercist Group Limited, the initiative was aimed at equipping the women with the requisite knowledge in farming to improve yields and sustain livelihoods.
They had sessions on proper fertiliser applications and chemical usage.
Chief Corporate and Sustainability Officer of MTN Ghana, Adwoa Wiafe, said women played a vital role in the food value chain of the country.
In that regard, she explained that training one woman would have a multiplier effect, as they would teach more people in their communities on farming methods.
She hinted that some extension officers would follow up with the women and ensure that they applied what they learned.
“MTN believes that for the success of a country, everyone has to play their part; we believe that women are important in Ghana’s quest to ensure food security,” she added.
Chief Operations Officer of Defarmercist Group Limited, Alex Afari, said introducing the women to modern farming practices such as green house farming was necessary to help the women in peri-urban areas survive as farmers.
He said that with the increasing use of farm lands for estate development, there was a shortage of farm lands and that the adoption of modern farming technologies to increase farm yields from smaller spaces was necessary.
Chief Executive Officer of Farmer Nii, Nii Oblitey Ashong, noted that the key determinants of successful farming were improved yields and marketing.
He added that farmers could use technology and innovation to improve their yield and quality, and find customers who were willing to pay for their products.
He also shared his experience and knowledge with women farmers to help them succeed in farming.
By Nafisa Abdul Razak