The Bolgatanga Municipal First Runner-Up Best Farmer, Gifty Mbanky, has expressed frustration over persistent biases against female farmers in the Municipality and the Upper East Region entirety.
Speaking to the media in Bolgatanga after being honored as the First Runner-Up by the Department of Food and Agriculture during this year’s Farmer’s Day celebration, Mrs. Mbanky shared that being a successful female farmer is challenging due to unfair treatment in society.
Among the obstacles, Mrs. Mbanky noted that female farmers face higher labor costs due to gender-based pricing compared to men.
“As a woman and a farmer, it is not an easy task, but we are managing. For instance, there are certain things that, as a woman in farming, people may see as a challenge to men, so they charge higher amounts before working for you,” she explained.
“At times, you have to forgo some tasks and do them yourself because of the high prices they charge. Transportation is another challenge. Sometimes you may find people willing to help you on your farm, but transporting them there is difficult, which can affect productivity,” she added.
According to her, female farmers struggle to secure farmland from male-dominated landowners, who often deny female farmers land for farming, which she believes reflects ignorance on the part of the landowners and should be addressed.
Mrs. Mbanky also recounted how she lost a piece of land after a successful harvest when the owner unexpectedly reclaimed it. She called on stakeholders to address this issue urgently through education.
The 40th Farmers’ Day celebration was held under the theme “Building a Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security.”
Mbanky Gifty, a professional teacher, received a motorbike, a cutlass, a pair of Wellington boots, a piece of GTP cloth, a knapsack sprayer, a bar of Key soap, and a certificate as the Municipal First Runner-Up Best Farmer.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1MHz | David Azure | Bolgatanga
