Agrihouse Launches 4th GOLD In The Soil Awards For Women Farmers

Agrihouse Foundation on Wednesday,May 25th,2022 launched the 4^th Women in Food and Agric leadership Training Forum and the Gold in the Soil Awards, at the Office of the Western Regional Minister, in the Western Region to recognize and appreciate women making positive impact in the agricultural value chain.

The WOFAGRIC for the past 4 years empowers women,promotes and recognizes  their works in the agriculture sector and also mentor them to venture into agribusiness and its profitable value chain.

The Gold in the Soil Awards, On the other hand recognizes women pioneers who pushes the boundaries along the value chain to challenge the formula that made men the front line players in agriculture.
The 4th edition of the WOFAGRIC and the Gold in the Soil Awards is expected to be held on June 22 and 23, 2022 in Takoradi at the Akroma Plaza Hotel on the theme “Agriwoman: Recover – Grow – Stand Out”.

Speaking at the launch, Madam Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa Sarpong, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation said over the past few years, WOFAGRIC and the Gold in the Soil Awards, through its capacity building sessions and interventions have addressed specific needs of women farmers in production, processing, packaging, mechanization, marketing, finance and ICT among others.

It has played an important role in mitigating the fallouts and accelerating the recovery process of women in agribusiness who were equally affected and largely hit by the pandemic which has been of high importance in recent times.

Touching on this year Gold in the Soil Awards as 82 entries have been received for the 16 categories  She expressed satisfaction on the number of women farmers in the nominations including women with disabilities.

“Generally, we are satisfied with the balanced representation in the remaining categories; as well as the number of women farmers and Agribusinesses represented in this year’s nominations,” Ms. Akosa Sarpong said

Mr Patrick Akowuah, Western Regional Director of Agriculture who spoke on behalf of the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensahsaid the Western region was ready to host the main two-day event, come 22^nd and 23^rd June, and further explore the partnership and networking opportunities the event has to offer the women farmers of both the Western and Western-North region.

He also thank Agrihouse Foundation for such an initiative since women farmers and value chain actors contribute immensely to the country’s agricultural sector. “I, therefore, want to thank the Agrihouse Foundation for taking up the course of celebrating our women agripreneurs, championing their growth and productivity. I’m not surprised that the Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation is a woman. Now more than ever, women are supporting women, and it is commendable”, he indicated.