Accra: The TechnoServe Ghana Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) Programme has engaged young female farmers, aggregators, and processors in the tomato value chain to mark the 2025 International Women’s Day.
According to Ghana News Agency, TechnoServe is an international non-profit organisation that partners with enterprising individuals in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. The HAPPY programme is a four-year transformative partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact Limited. Its implementation is supported by an eight-member consortium, including Newage Agric Solutions, National Service Authority (NSA), Ghana Cares (MiDA), Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), TechnoServe, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and Jobberman. HAPPY aims to create over 326,000 dignified and fulfilling jobs for youth (70 percent women) and Persons with Disability, increase food production and productivity in rice, soya, tomato, and poultry value chains by 20 percent, and reduce the import of strategic foods by 10 percent.
Together with its partners, the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact, the engagement attended by about 100 women, traditional authorities, and assembly members sought to recognise and celebrate the contributions of women tomato growers and processors towards sustained economic development. The IWD offers a global platform for raising awareness about women’s achievements and serves as an opportunity to advocate for lasting support for women’s empowerment efforts. The celebration was under the theme ‘March Forward, Accelerate Action for Women.’
In a panel discussion, the women tomato growers appealed to the government and development partners through the HAPPY program for support to expand their economic activities and improve production. Mrs. Augustina Agyemang indicated that the implementation of the HAPPY program had introduced farmers to improved tomato seedlings and connected them to ready markets. She called on the government to provide them with pumping machines and irrigation facilities to enhance their production capacity.
Mrs. Veronica Ablakwa, another tomato farmer, commended TechnoServe for the programme, noting that its implementation had enlightened them on good farm practices. She emphasized the need for financial and other support, such as agro-chemicals, to make the sector more attractive for unemployed young women in the area.
Mr. Frank Obiora Mgbemena, the HAPPY Program Director at TechnoServe, praised the women farmers for their hard work and emphasized the importance of celebrating their contributions to economic growth and development. He noted that women in the area contribute about 80 percent of the nation’s tomato production and pledged the program’s commitment to empower them further.
Madam Caroline Dery, the Senior Gender and Youth Manager on the TechnoServe HAPPY Program, explained that among other objectives, the event aimed to create direct linkages between tomato processors on HAPPY and the farmers and aggregators. It also sought to inspire new female farmers and aggregators through testimonials from existing HAPPY participants, raise awareness on challenges and barriers affecting women’s participation in agriculture and the tomato value chain, and secure commitments from community leaders to promote young women’s inclusion and prevent violence towards them.