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More income and decision-making power for women in agriculture in Ghana

Partner: Fair River International Association for Development (FARIAD)

Duration: February – December 2019

Donors: Foundation North-South Bridges with BMZ funds and private donations

In Nkwanta North District in the Volta Region in Ghana, more than half of the population works as small farmers. A large part of the work is done by women. But the further the agricultural products are processed, the less control the women have over the value chain. As a result, they earn only a fraction of what can be earned from processed agricultural products, such as corn, cassava, fruit, rice, meat and fish, and have less decision-making power.

Most of the women in Kpassa make a living from agriculture or agribusiness

ICT to increase income

Used wisely, information and communication technologies can help to increase profits, boost sales and improve working conditions, as a GIZ study on ICT4Ag

The greatest barriers for women in the Kpassa region to ICT are financial and socio-economic. Only a few of the small farmers and small traders can afford a computer or a smartphone, and women with their lower income are often even less likely to be able to afford them. There is a need for an IT learning center that offers access to and competence in information and communication technologies in a gender-sensitive way.

The women in Kpassa are eager to learn more about digital tools in agriculture
Women are learning how to use digital tools and competences to increase their profit and have a greater say in value chains of agricultural products

IT education for women working in agribusiness and young people

Leapfrog, through its partner Fair River International Association for Development (FARIAD) in Kpassa, supported 66 women and young people in integrating IT into their everyday work, increasing their income through the use of IT and digital tools, and thus building up an adequate livelihood.

Together we have achieved this:

  • Converted the computer room at FARIAD into a learning center with donated hardware from Labdoo e.V.
  • Made women and young people familiar with digital tools for agriculture and agribusiness, together with Esoko
  • Provided leadership training with the participation of 72 women and men
  • Taught office basics and basics of digital marketing and data collection
  • Trained in the use of sensors in soil and irrigation
  • Provided career guidance for young people
Women at digital tool workshop
The women learn how to use digital tools in agriculture and agribusiness

Jennifer from Kpassa is a professional tailor and honey trader. That is what she appreciated about the IT courses:

„Now I understand the reason why the local bank is not able to assist me in my business. They will only re-quest how much profit you can make at the end of the month without telling you how you could go about that. From now on, I will ensure I record every sales I make and everything I buy for the business.“

Madam Jankpa Dora is the coordinator of the women group: Her resumé:

“I never knew my phone could do all these ‘magic’. I thought android phones are only used for WhatsApping.”

Female participants in front of the small  ICT learning center
Most of the participants were satisfied with the IT classes

Leapfrog and FARIAD have thus made a contribution to UN sustainability goals 1 and 5: poverty reduction and gender equality.