By Caleb Kuleke
Ho, Aug. 31, GNA – Global Action for Women Empowerment, not-for-profit organisation (NGO) has equipped smallholder women farmers with skills in advanced farming practices and sustainability land use.
The participants were from Ho Municipal and Adaklu District and were taken through several best farming practices including proper application of fertilizers, weedicides, and pesticides as well as advanced farming methods and sustainable land use.
Mrs Mary Esenam Elewokor, Director of Agriculture, Ho Municipal Assembly, and a facilitator at the training, stressed the need for framers to produce to meet the tastes and preferences of customers because farming was considered as a business.
She said the effects of climate change required deliberate efforts to increase agriculture productivity with more sustainable and advanced farming methods to ensure a resilient and food-secured future.
The Director mentioned precision agriculture, vertical farming, hydroponics, and aquaponics as some advanced farming methods and these, she said, would minimise environmental impact and enhance agriculture production and efficiency.
Mrs Elewokor noted that agriculture was the bedrock of developing nations therefore the use of improved farming techniques was paramount to ensure economic growth and food security.
She said access to land was a major challenge, therefore, farmers must choose the right crops, use high yielding planting materials, provide efficient irrigation, and ensure good soil management to maximise profit from a piece of land.
Ms Ivy Bedy, Project Officer at GLOWA told the Ghana News Agency that smallholder women farmers played key role in ensuring food security in the country, thus they must be given the needed attention to sustain their contribution.
She said the orientation also aimed to empower the women to demand accountability from the assemblies, especially the agriculture department so they could have access to available interventions and facilities.
Ms Bedy appealed to chiefs who were custodians of lands to make lands available to women willing to venture into agriculture and advocate for resources to support them.
Mr Benjamin Senyo Atorkui, Crop Officer of Adaklu District, eetreated the participants to avoid farming practices that could cause soil erosion and destruction of nutrients in the soil.
Madam Harrienta Yeboah, participants from Adaklu Goefe told the GNA the training had exposed her to new farming practices, which she hoped would help increase her farm produce and make more profit.
Ms Delight Sesi, another participant from Adaklu Agblefe said she was happy to learn about sustainable land use and protection of nutrients in the soil for higher yields.
The training formed part of the organisation Action For Voice, Influence And Inclusive Development project to empower women living in rural communities and persons with disabilities.
The project was on the theme: “We Matter! Empowering Rural Women and PWD constituents to take positive actions to participate actively in local governance processes for improved livelihood” with funding from William and Flora Hewlett Foundation through STAR Ghana Foundation.
GNA