In the heart of Nyansabga, a farming community in Karaga District, women are taking the lead in proving that climate-resilient agriculture is not only possible but it is essential for survival.
Hajia Alima Sagito Saeed, Executive Director of the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana), has called on women farmers to embrace technology and sustainable practices to combat the devastating impact of climate shocks.
“We have secured a portion of the degraded lands for demonstration to show that climate-resilient agriculture is possible with the right technology and sustainable practices,” she said during a tour of a thriving demonstration farm.
The farm is the result of a strategic partnership between SWIDA-Ghana and the World Food Programme (WFP), supported by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
What was once barren soil now supports mango, baobab, and moringa trees, alongside vegetables like okro, tomatoes, and pepper-grown using climate-smart irrigation fed by water recycled from six fishponds.
Over 100 women, adolescent girls, and young men are benefiting from the initiative, learning soil conservation, furrow irrigation, and renewable energy solutions to ensure year-round productivity.
The project is also boosting nutrition, incomes, and financial independence, with women setting up savings and loan schemes from farm proceeds.
For women like Memunatu Alhassan, technology has opened new possibilities: “I never imagined we could rear fish in a pond, but now we do and it feeds our children and supports our families.”
As climate shocks intensify, Hajia Saeed’s message is that, “technology and sustainable practices are the lifeline that will allow women to reclaim the land, secure food supplies, and strengthen their communities.”
