Agrihouse Foundation, a non-governmental organisation with focus on promoting agri-business, on Thursday hosted the winners of its third WOFAGRIC and Gold in the Soil Awards held in June in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.
The programme offered the opportunity for the winners to interact with the sponsors and collaborating institutions for the two programmes (WOFAGRIC and Gold in the Soil Awards.)
The sponsors for this year’s programme were Canadian High Commission, MAG-Canada, Absa Bank Ghana, Yara, Ghana Enterprise Agency, OCP Ghana, Interplast, GEPA/FDA, RDF GAHAN LBG and GSA, and the other collaborating institutions are NFFAWAG and Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa said the WOFAGRIC and Gold in the Soil Awards were to recognise women for their contributions to the development of agriculture and the country.
She said in spite of the contribution of women to agriculture, it appeared much was not done to recognise them.
“During the assessments and breakdown of entries received, the Foundation realised that 50 per cent of the entries were from women farmers, with between 10-65 acres of maize, yam, groundnut, soya beans, vegetables, bambara beans, millet and sorghum,” the Executive Director, said.
Ms Akosa disclosed that this year’s programme was dedicated to projecting physically challenged women farmers, stressing the awards received a significant number of entries from younger women farmers.
She said 23-year-old Mavis AlahireAboko and 21-year-old Genevive Akugu, physically challenged women won the Star Woman Agriprenuer Award and Fee to Foods Award, respectively.
Ms Akosa said the ultimate Gold in the Soil Award was won by Portia Asumda from Zangeyire in the Upper East Region.
The Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation appealed to corporate Ghana and local and international organisations as well as development partners to support the future editions of the awards.
The West Africa Regional Director of Yara, Mr Danquah Addo Yobo, in his address said agriculture offered a lot of opportunities and urged the youth to take advantage of the sector to create their own businesses.
“There are market opportunities for agriculture and you can enter into growing crops like maize, rice, soya,” he said.
Mr Danquah indicated that there was ready market for the aforementioned agricultural produce.
Some of the winners who spoke to the Ghanaian Times commended Agrihouse Foundation for the exposure given them.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
