The Greater Accra Region is set to witness for the 6th year running, a gathering of over Two Hundred and Seventy-Five Queen-Mothers and Women in Agriculture, across the Sixteen Regions in Ghana, on Thursday February 29,2024 at the GNAT Hall.
In a statement, the Founder and Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa said, that this year’s event, to be held under the THEME: “Seeds of Change: Cultivating Gender Equality in Agriculture and Honoring Women’s Advancement,”. is expected to delve into issues on gender, and its influence in advancing and building sustainable women farmers across the regions of Ghana.
The half day program will also dive deep into the queen-mothers and detail their individual roles in spearheading Agricultural growth, development and change across their respective regions.
Also, as part of the activities for this year, we get to celebrate women who have stood and fought positively, for gender advancement for many years while advocating for meaningful policy interventions and support systems that promote gender equality.
Over the past five (5) years, the Gathering of the Royals event, has established itself as a cornerstone interventional initiative, providing a vital platform for Queen Mothers in farming and other Agribusiness value chains, to engage in meaningful conversations.
Together, they tackle pressing issues, peculiar to their communities and Regions, such as access to resources, market challenges, and the imperative for sustainable practices.
Through collaborative brainstorming and feedback, with Public Sector, Corporate Bodies and Financial Institutions, at the event, they seek innovative solutions to foster a thriving and inclusive agricultural landscape.
The event, which has since its inception, brought together over 2,973 queen-mothers, women in agribusiness, processors, political leaders, women farmers, assemblymen, DCEs, and community leaders, and stakeholders across the agriculture value chain has been able to successfully facilitate the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to further extend Extension Support to some of the farming areas within communities that were previously deprived of extension support.
Also in 2021, an Agri-booster Module was introduced, where Queen Mothers serve as entry point for companies to offer training to farmers, soil sampling and testing, and provision of input to beginner and growing farmers, to kick-start or expand their farming activities.
So far, over ten communities in the Oti region, Upper East, and Upper West regions have benefited from this agenda,
Through the gathering of the royals, community watch policing was initiated and set up with the support and advise from the Ghana police service to promote Agri-peace in the farming communities.
Furthermore, the interventional initiative, with the support from private sector companies, supplies of basic inputs, garden starter packs, and fertilizers have been given to farmers, women, and persons with disabilities within various communities, in our effort to contribute to enhanced nutrition.
By this, over 300 people have benefited from starter packs, to establish Backyard Gardens, under the 1household 1 garden initiative.
The Executive Director Of Agrihouse Foundation also added that , the half day event, being held on a leap day in a leap year and an election year in Ghana is very symbolic, Agrihouse Foundation desires, above all, a country of cooperation, and the further development of sustainable farming, with peace and security as the bedrock and we are hopeful that together with the stakeholders, who will be participating across the various sectors, we can be able to call for, and pledge our collective commitment to fervently strive for Peace, at all levels and in our farming communities.
The 6th gathering of the royals promises to be a day filled with insightful discussions and valuable networking opportunities influencing policy directions, fostering stronger partnerships among traditional leaders, and driving holistic growth in the agricultural sector.