Stakeholders from FAO and Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture engaging in heated group discussion during the Country Gender Assessment workshop.

FAO and national partners collaborate to empower women in agriculture and rural sectors.

A validation workshop took place today to unveil the findings of Ghana’s Country Gender Assessment (CGA) in the agriculture and rural sectors. Co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Women in Agriculture Directorate (WIAD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the workshop marks a critical milestone in addressing gender disparities and promoting inclusive growth in Ghana’s agrifood systems.  

The CGA aims to help identify gender gaps and progress made within the agriculture sector in Ghana. It will inform future programming by FAO, the government, and other development partners. The CGA of Ghana’s agriculture and rural sectors was conducted between 15^th July and 31st October 2024 as a critical step to guide national policies and programs to increase agriculture productivity and contribute to gender equality, zero hunger, and poverty in Ghana.

“Gender equality is at the heart of FAO’s mandate,” stated Bethel Terefe, Senior Gender Expert at the FAO Regional Office for Africa, during the opening session. “It is fundamental to improving nutrition, agricultural productivity, and rural livelihoods.” Also delivering opening remarks was Madam Paulina S. Addy, Director of WIAD of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. She acknowledged the efforts of FAO in conducting the assessment. “We need collaboration among stakeholders to address the gender disparities,” she stressed. “The results of the CGA would guide future policies and interventions to empower women in the agricultural sector.”

Empowering Women in Agriculture in Ghana

Agriculture is central to Ghana’s economy and livelihoods, encompassing crops, livestock, forestry, and fisheries. Women play a vital role across these subsectors, yet significant gender gaps persist. Despite comprising nearly 51% of Ghana’s population in agriculture, women face systemic challenges in accessing land, financial resources, and agricultural technologies. 

The CGA sheds light on the roles, constraints, and opportunities for women in the agri-food sector, revealing significant gender gaps that hinder women’s potential. These insights will inform gender-responsive policies to enhance women’s participation and contributions to agricultural and rural development. 

Key Findings and Stakeholder Engagement

Dr. Hannah Nyamekye presented the major findings, highlighting critical challenges and opportunities in the agriculture sector. While Ghana’s agricultural and rural development strategies include provisions for gender and inclusion, a significant gap lies in overlooking the intersectionality of gender with other factors. Men, women, and persons living with disabilities (PLWDs) are often treated as homogeneous groups. Another critical issue was the significant disparity in women’s representation and decision-making power in rural institutions. Women’s roles are often limited to secondary positions, with most mixed Farmer-Based Organizations having no more than two women in leadership roles. Additionally, women face heavier workloads and greater time poverty compared to men.,. These disparities not only restrict women’s potential contributions to the agriculture sector but also perpetuate broader gender inequalities.  

Stakeholders from various ministries and organizations, including the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Ministry of Environment Science and Technology, Ghana Statistical Service, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and other relevant agencies participated in the validation workshop. The stakeholders engaged in group discussions to validate the report, refining the recommendations to ensure they reflect the national realities on the ground and advance gender equality in the agriculture sector.

Topics in the discussion included gender wage disparities, women’s access to land and credit, post-harvesting management, agriculture marketing, and climate resilience. Discussions underscored the urgent need for gender-disaggregated data at regional and district levels, and the importance of ensuring women’s control over agricultural tools and resources, such as tractors and market information. To address these challenges, stakeholders proposed using gender principles from global normative frameworks to inform Ghana’s next Medium-Term National Development Planning Framework. Recommendations to the government included allocating at least 40% of the budget to programs that empower women, enforcing gender-responsive planning and budgeting, and encouraging rural financial institutions to develop tailored financial packages that support women and youth-led agri-food MSMEs.

Shaping the Future of Gender-Responsive Policies

The validated CGA report will serve as a key resource for the Government of Ghana, FAO, and development partners to design and implement inclusive agricultural policies and programs. FAO pledged to enhance its support through increasing budget allocations for women-focused projects, capacity-building initiatives, and trainings on gender-transformative approaches for the Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. 

This workshop aligns with FAO’s Policy on Gender Equality 2023–2030, reaffirming its commitment to advancing gender equality across its technical work. By bridging gender gaps, Ghana can unlock the full potential of its agrifood systems and ensure sustainable development for all.