The month of March was an inspiring month for women as the world came together to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 7th. Vice President Jane Naana Opoku – Agyemang in a speech at the 2025 Women’s Dialogue rightly said there was the need for inclusive efforts to uplift all Ghanaian women, “whether parents, traders, farmers, fisherfolk, other professionals…”
It was exciting to hear the vice president acknowledge the role of women farmers and fisherfolks, as they represent a vital but often overlooked segment of our society. Women contribute to every stage of the agrifood systems, from farming to food processing, trading, and distribution. They are the backbone of our food systems.
Although women constitute more than 50% of the agricultural workforce globally, the Food and Agricultural Organization 2023 Status of Women in Agrifood Systems Report notes women in agricultural production often work under extremely challenging and unfair conditions. Women still face significant barriers in accessing essential assets and resources crucial for agrifood systems—such as land, inputs, services, finance, and digital technology—leaving them at a disadvantage compared to men. Women in agriculture frequently work as unpaid family laborers or casual workers. On the average, they earn 18.4% less than men in the agrifood systems. Although 63% of women in sub-Saharan Africa are engaged in agriculture and contribute between 60 to 80% of the continent’s food production, they receive only 10% of the revenue generated from the sector.
Despite these challenges, some women entrepreneurs in agrifood systems are breaking barriers, demonstrating resilience, innovation, and leadership. Through their determination, they are transforming their own businesses, driving social change and reshaping the agricultural landscape for future generations.
One such trailblazer is Edith Akosah Wheatland, CEO of Rockland Farms. After working in the UK and the USA, she returned to Ghana in 2012 to help build the local economy through poultry farming. Today, she leads Rockland Farms, Rockland Meats, and Eco Feeding Ghana Limited in the Sekyere Central District of Ghana.
Rockland Farms produces and sells eggs and broilers while supporting women poultry farmers through an outgrower scheme. This initiative provides women with essential inputs to raise chickens, which they sell to Rockland Meats at competitive prices for processing. Additionally, Edith supports maize farmers through another outgrower scheme, supplying them with inputs in exchange for maize, which is used for animal feed. To further empower women, she established a Village Savings and Loans Scheme, enabling women farmers to access financial resources.
Speaking at an International Women’s Day event organized by AGRA and FAO in Accra, Edith reflected on the challenges she has faced in building her agribusiness: “Everybody says Rockland is a success story but no one goes back to look at the challenges that she has to go through to get to that point… I started processing three birds in a plucker, then doing 100, 200, 500. Now we are doing 2000 birds a day,” she said. A plucker is a machine designed to remove feathers from poultry.
Edith expressed gratitude to AGRA’s VALUE4HER initiative for the support that has made it possible for her business to grow into one of Ghana’s biggest agribusiness success stories. “In my village where my farm is, I had the women always coming to me for support. And I set up one Village Savings and Loans groups. When AGRA found me, I had 35. They supported me. Now we have over 200 VSLA groups,” she explained.
“Last year, among themselves, they contributed 2 million Cedis. They borrow from the farm, they grow the maize, I buy the maize, they put their own interest on it. And now it is a successful story. But starting it wasn’t easy. Because when you give up, they will be at your door,” Edith added.
Edith’s journey is a show of resilience, innovation, and the power of women-led change. From starting with a simple plucker to building one of Ghana’s most impactful agribusinesses, she has not only transformed her own enterprise but also uplifted hundreds of women farmers through financial inclusion, mentorship, and sustainable business models. Embracing collaboration and continuously adapting to industry needs has positioned her as a true social shifter who is redefining the role of women in agriculture and paving the way for a more equitable and thriving agrifood sector.
Edith told the event she is seeking support in the form of a loan to expand. “We need about 5 million dollars to set up a processing plant. With that, we can do three shifts. With those three shifts, we can do 48,000 birds a day. We have the market there. With that, we can create 260,000 jobs across the value chain,” she said.
Women agribusiness entrepreneurs leading change like Edith deserve the necessary support from state and non-state actors. Women bring unique perspectives and innovations to agribusiness, like value addition, market diversification, and community-based approaches., which should be encouraged With the right support, these entrepreneurs can drive significant innovation within the agri-food systems sector. Supporting women in agribusiness benefits society as a whole, helps ensure stronger communities, and ultimately ensures broader economic and social development.
