By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Namiyela (NE/R), June 24, GNA – Smallholder women farmers in selected rural communities in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region have been empowered to become financially independent, and able to contribute to the upkeep of their households.
Unlike before, the women are now able to expand their farming activities and engage in dry season farming, which has enabled them to increase household food and nutrition security, venture into other income generating activities and increase their saving abilities.
Their empowerment had become possible as a result of the implementation of the “Action for Women’s Empowerment” project by Meta Foundation, a Non- Governmental Organisation, with funding support from STAR Ghana Foundation under its Actions for Voice and Inclusive Development (AVID) project in the region.
The two-year project being implemented in 10 communities in the West Mamprusi and East Mamprusi Municipalities aims among other things, to empower rural women through various interventions and improve the livelihoods of women and young girls in rural communities.
Through the project, the Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) scheme, which was already in existence was strengthened and the groups linked to the Naara Rural Bank to access soft loans to expand their farming businesses and saving culture.
These came to light when staff of Meta Foundation and STAR Ghana interacted with some of the beneficiaries at Namiyela, a farming community in the West Mamprusi Municipality, with the women indicating that the project, particularly the loan initiative, was impacting positively in their lives.
Ms Cynthia Mbataah, the Chairperson of the Tinsogetaaba Farmers Group, indicated that through the loan initiative, she had been able to expand her soya bean and groundnut farm from half an acre to one acre within a year and was also engaging in vegetable farming particularly onions during the dry season.
“Through the farming I have been able to increase my savings at the VSLA from GH₵10.00 every week to GH₵25.00 and I have also joined another VSLA, contributing the same amount, and because of that I am able to take loans from the groups anytime to expand my business or solve emergencies,” she said.
Madam Ati-esko Aya-era, another beneficiary, indicated that apart from the loan helping her to expand her farming business, she had ventured into straw basket weaving, which was helping to increase her household income levels and savings at the VSLA from GH₵5.00 to GH₵20.00 weekly.
“Due to the fact that I can contribute to the upkeep of the family, it has reduced the domestic conflicts my husband and I used to have, and we are able to save, and pay our children’s school fees and cater for their needs,” she added.
Madam Nsomah Adongo, another beneficiary, indicated that the project was helping to make agriculture attractive to the women and youth and she had been able to start shop, selling provisions.
She, however, appealed for storage and watering facilities to help increase productivity especially during the dry season and attract the needed market.
Mr David Amozebga, the Programmes Manager, Meta Foundation, said through the project, series of interventions had been rolled out including capacity building and logistical support geared at empowering rural women to become economically empowered, to contribute significantly to the development of their households, community, and the country at large.
He said although the project was ending this year, his outfit would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to empower rural women to sustain the interventions to achieve gender parity and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Madam Anita Asare Awuku, the AVID Project Officer, STAR Ghana Foundation, advised the beneficiary communities to sustain the interventions to enable them to achieve maximum impact and contribute to development.
GNA