By Anthony Adongo Apubeo, GNA
Namiyela, (NER), May 14, GNA – More than 60 women smallholder farmers in the Namiyela community in the West Mamprusi Municipality are benefiting from a sustainable agricultural intervention aimed at strengthening onion production and improving livelihoods through climate-resilient farming.
The initiative dubbed: “Sustainable Agricultural Value Chain Empowerment”, seeks to improve onion production, irrigation efficiency, post-harvest management, cooperative governance, and market access for women farmers in the area.
The project is being implemented by ReliefEcho Ghana, a youth-led non-governmental organisation, with funding support from GIZ, EWS Group, and Deutsche Postcode Lotterie through TU eMpower Africa e.V.
Since its launch, the intervention has delivered four key training sessions, including community sensitisation, practical agronomic training, and women-focused cooperative development, with activities progressing from field production to value chain strengthening and institutional support.
Speaking on the intervention, Mr Joshua Taiwo Adefila, Founder and Executive Director of ReliefEcho Ghana, said the first phase focused on building farmers’ capacity in sustainable onion cultivation, soil health improvement, efficient irrigation, and the operation and maintenance of solar-powered irrigation systems.
He said the training addressed challenges earlier raised by farmers regarding poor water management and soil moisture stress, which had limited dry-season production.
According to him, participants were trained in land preparation, crop rotation, compost preparation, mulching, organic soil management, and integrated pest and disease control using environmentally sustainable approaches.
He explained that the women also received practical guidance on irrigation scheduling and preventive maintenance of solar-powered irrigation systems, noting that efficient irrigation scheduling could reduce water use by 20 to 40 per cent while improving crop yields.
As part of the practical implementation phase, the project established women-managed onion demonstration plots along the White Volta riverside, where cooperative members have already transplanted onions on a one-acre site.
To improve agricultural resilience and year-round production, the project constructed a 10,000 cubic metre water storage facility to support spray tube and drip irrigation systems.
An additional 10,000 cubic metre storage facility with a mechanised solar-powered water system is underway to serve a fenced four-acre farmland in the community.
The intervention also delivered a 50-ton onion storage facility to support safe storage, reduce post-harvest losses, and strengthen market opportunities for women producers.
Mr Adefila said the successful establishment of the onion fields reflected strong community ownership and demonstrated readiness to scale up climate-smart agricultural practices in the municipality.
Building on the production phase, the intervention further trained beneficiaries in agricultural value chain management, post-harvest handling, financial literacy, cooperative governance, and collective marketing systems.
Mr Nicholas Atubiga, a Crop Officer who facilitated the training, said the programme equipped the women not only with technical farming skills but also practical competencies in sorting, grading, cleaning, storage, pricing strategies, bookkeeping, budgeting, and business planning to improve profitability.
Mr Joshua Asochiga, Community Engagement Officer of ReliefEcho Ghana, said the intervention also supported farmers to establish cooperative governance systems, leading to the inauguration of the Agurekankang Cooperative.
He explained that the newly elected nine-member leadership of the cooperative would coordinate group activities over the next two years, strengthen accountability, improve record-keeping, and facilitate collective market access.
Mr Asochiga recommended continuous mentoring, refresher trainings, and the establishment of a community irrigation management committee to sustain the solar-powered irrigation infrastructure and ensure long-term project impact.
Ms Ophelia Ayamga, Field Officer at ReliefEcho Ghana, also facilitated sessions on cooperative management, market access, team coordination, and farming schedules, urging the women to take ownership of the intervention to improve household incomes and food security.
The women farmers expressed appreciation for the support and appealed for continued technical assistance, irrigation expansion, and stronger market linkages across Northern Ghana to expand onion production and strengthen regional agricultural trade.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Email: [email protected]