Tractors for Africa Foundation (TfA), a non-profit organization, has graduated 15 female farmers in tractor operation and maintenance in the Upper East Region.
Tractors for Africa Foundation (TfA) provides agricultural technology to West African farmers through a market-based approach, offering quality mechanization services. The one-month training program aimed to equip the 15 women with essential mechanization skills designed to promote sustainable agricultural practices and boost food security in Ghana.
The training, organized by TfA with support from GIZ, has been pivotal in empowering women, reducing unemployment, and fostering climate-smart agricultural methods that preserve soil structure.
Emmanuel Nsobila, Acting Chief Operations Officer at TfA, said that his organization and its partner, GIZ, focus on closing the gap between men and women in the field of tractor operation and agricultural mechanization, which has traditionally been male-dominated.
“Tractor operation is a male-dominated field that many women tend to avoid. We want to encourage women to get involved, which is why we organized this training to empower them. For us at TfA, our goal is to build an inclusive group of female tractor operators by 2026. This is one of the reasons we are providing this training now,” Mr. Nsobila stated.
Mr. Nsobila noted that by 2026, TfA aims to train about 100 tractor operators, which will benefit TfA’s commercial farmers and provide relief to farmers in general.
Jonal Yiran, the Bolgatanga East District Director of Agriculture, who chaired the graduation ceremony at Pusiga Namomgo in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region, applauded TfA and its funding partner, GIZ, for the initiative. Mr. Yiran said the initiative would help reduce unemployment and encourage more women to join the agriculture sector.
As the guest of honor, Madam Lydia Miyella, Executive Director of Maaltaaba Peasant Women Farmers Cooperative, expressed high levels of excitement about TfA and GIZ’s efforts, describing it as motivation for women to pursue agricultural mechanization. Madam Miyella used the opportunity to encourage the women to take pride in their achievements and become role models for others.
The Director of Maaltaaba Peasant Women Farmers Cooperative called on TfA and GIZ to continue with similar initiatives and ensure that tractors are made available for the women to operate. She emphasized that this would greatly benefit all farmers in the region.
The graduates expressed their happiness about their new journey, describing it as an opportunity they are committed to succeeding in.
“As women, we often face unique challenges in male-dominated fields like agriculture, but this training has shown us that with determination and hard work, we can excel in any area,” they said.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1 MHz | David Azure | Bolgatanga
