The Director for Women, Gender and Social Protection at the World Food Forum (WFF) Ghana Chapter, Mrs. Phillipa Mensah, has emphasized the urgent need for intentional and sustainable empowerment strategies targeting women and youth working within Ghana’s agri-food systems.
She made this call during a symposium organized by WFF Ghana Chapter at the Abogbloshie Market in Accra. The event, held under the theme “Market Women, Traders, and Their Role in Driving the Food Value Chain,” brought together market traders to spotlight their critical but often overlooked contributions, challenges, and opportunities within Ghana’s agri-food sector.
Mrs. Mensah highlighted that market women are not only frontline traders but also custodians of nutrition knowledge, cultural food practices, and community resilience. “They are vital to household food security and the sustainability of local food systems,” she noted.
Outlining the WFF Ghana Chapter’s vision, she said the organization is committed to strengthening the capacity of market women through targeted training in health and safety, nutrition education, and business resilience. She also stressed the importance of strong social protection policies, including access to healthcare, child education support, and income protection mechanisms tailored for informal food sector workers.
“These women and youth have the potential to become strong advocates for food justice and nutrition in their communities,” she added. “When we invest in them, we invest in the very foundation of our national food economy. This is not charity it is sustainable development.”
Mrs. Mensah urged policymakers, corporate stakeholders, and development partners to adopt inclusive strategies and collaborate on public-private partnerships that uplift women in the informal food sector.
She called on all actors within the agri-food value chain to view market women as indispensable partners in achieving national food security and economic transformation.
The symposium formed part of the WFF Ghana Chapter’s broader commitment to fostering equitable food systems through youth and women empowerment, innovation, and inclusive dialogue.
