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Employ new Approaches towards Agriculture and Food Production – Hajia Alima

The Ghana Federation of Forest & Farm Producers (GhaFFaP) has called on all actors and stakeholders within the Agricultural value chain to adopt more integrated Climate Resilience approaches for their agricultural and food production systems.

This statement was made during the 39th Ghana National Farmers Day Celebrations which was on the theme: ” Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience”.

In a statement signed and issued by the National President on behalf of GhaFFaP from the National Secretariat in Kumasi – Ghana, Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed stated that the only viable alternative for sustainable Food Security and improved livelihoods for rural economies, is for the country to adopt a more integrated climate Resilience approach to our agricultural and food production systems.

She added that building climate resilience in agricultural and food production systems is a collective responsibility and very crucial for the sustainable development of every nation.

The GhaFFaP President mentioned that GhaFFaP as a National Federation of Forest & Farm Producer Organizations (FFPOs), is continuously adopting appropriate Climate Mitigation strategies that reduce climate stress towards promoting Regenerative Agricultural Practices such as indigenous tree planting, reduced soil tillage, crop rotation, and full organic fertilization to improve soil health and water quality; these practices will enhance resilience and reduce water use.

She further called on the Government and other stakeholders to invest more in Climate-Resilient Agricultural Technologies by financing technologies and devising strategies that support climate-resilient practices and also Integrate Climate Adaptation into policy thinking rather than treating adaptation as an afterthought, instead of integrate it into policy planning.

On behalf of GhaFFaP, the National President used the occasion to thank all gallant and hardworking farmers, all stakeholders and actors within the agricultural value chain for their immense contribution towards ensuring food security and increased productivity throughout the year.

We at GhaFFaP say well done (Ayekoo) to all our farmers nationwide and beyond.

Issued by:

Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed

President, GhaFFaP

Weekly Update: SWIDA-Gh ED Partakes in Women Advocacy Activities

Panelist; representing women, girls and farmers on the “Ghana We Need” by the Economic Governance Platform and Oxfam in Tamale.

Key speaker on the topic: Securing Women’s Economic Independence and Resilience at the Launch of Golden Inspires Foundation GIF-Ghana in Yendi.

Panelist; representing women, girls and farmers on the “Ghana We Need” by the Economic Governance Platform and Oxfam in Tamale.

Press Statement: International Day of the Rural Woman-2023

ISSUED IN TAMALE BY HAJIA ALIMA SAGITO-SAEED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – SAVANNAH WOMAN INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AGENCY GHANA

15^TH OCTOBER 2023

The theme for International Day of Rural Women is Rural Women Cultivating Good food for all. It highlights the essential role that rural women and girls play in the food systems globally. This is from production through to processing, distributing, marketing and consumptions. Women’s labour – paid and unpaid work feeds their families, communities and the world. Yet they have less power with men as a result they earn less income and experience higher food insecurity.

In the rural areas of Ghana, agriculture us a significant source of income and employment. Women are key actors in the agricultural sector, where they constitute more than 50 per cent of the labour force and produce 70 per cent of the country’s food stock and promote nutrition for healthy families though from their subsistence farming limited by access to resources as such control over productive lands, credit, agricultural inputs and information in the mist of climate change and climate adaptation strategies. This hinders their productivity and economic independence

Traditional gender roles and norms persist in rural Ghana, which continue to limit women’s decision-making power and autonomy of rural women. Their lack of decision making power caused by social norms and traditions have equally contributed to their less control over resources and hence may be subjected to increasing gender-based violence.

Rural women often engage in informal economic activities, such as petty trading and handicrafts. Efforts have been made to provide them with training and access to microcredit to enhance their economic empowerment, but challenges remain in terms of market access and capital investment.

It’s important to note that the situation of rural women can vary significantly depending on the region within Ghana. While there are challenges, there are also many resilient and resourceful rural women who are actively engaged in efforts to improve their own livelihoods and the well-being of their communities. Efforts by the government, NGOs, and other stakeholders continue to work towards improving the situation for rural women in Ghana. rural women ensure food security for their communities, build climate resilience and strengthen economics. Yet gender inequality, discriminatory laws and social norms combined fast changing technological environmental landscape continue to restrict their full potential, leaving them behind men. Placing majority of the rural women in a disadvantage points, we want to use this opportunity to ask for the following from Government and other stakeholders in the areas of the theme for this celebrations:

Improving access to quality education for rural girls and women is essential. This can include building schools, providing scholarships, and promoting gender-sensitive curricula
Economic empowerment: Implement programs that provide rural women with opportunities for income generation, including vocational training, microcredit, and access to markets. Support women’s entrepreneurship and access to agricultural resources.
Agricultural support: Develop policies and programs that enhance women’s participation in agriculture and agribusiness. This can include training, access to land and technology, and market
Social Protection programmes: Implement social safety nets such as cash transfer programs, food assistance, and pension schemes to support vulnerable rural women and their families.
Invest in rural infrastructure, including roads, electricity, and water supply, which can improve living conditions and reduce the burden of domestic work on women.
Strengthen legal frameworks and enforce property rights for rural women. This can include land ownership, inheritance rights, and protection against gender-based violence. Emphasis on the full implementation of the 2020 Land Act.
Digital and information capacity building: Provide training and capacity-building programmes to enhance the skills and knowledge of rural women, enabling them to participate in the digital world, in decision-making processes and community development while improving their innovations. Their understanding of the technological environment will improve their access to information technology and empower them with knowledge to access wider markets.

Gender equality promotion: Implement policies and programs that promote gender equality in all spheres of life, including participation in local governance and leadership roles.

Community support: Encourage the formation of women’s self-help groups and community-based organizations, which can provide a network of support and empowerment for rural women.
Data collection, Monitoring and evaluation: Invest in research and data collection on the specific needs and challenges of rural women to inform evidence-based policy development. Establish robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the impact of policies and programs on the wellbeing of rural women and make necessary adjustments.
Collaboration: Encourage collaboration among government agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders to pool resources and expertise in addressing the challenges faced by rural women towards sustainable development.

We need to increase Advocacy to end Sexual Violence – Khadijah to Stakeholders

The Gender and Communications Manager for SWIDA-Gh, Miss Khadijah Abdul Samed has called on stakeholders in girl child empowerment and education, to work together with individuals in communities to end the menace of sexual violence against girls. Miss Khadijah made this call during a series of activities SWIDA-Gh implemented to celebrate this year’s International Day of the Girl Child. 11^th October is set aside to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child, with this year’s global theme being “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being”. The Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Gh), as a champion for women and girls’ rights embarked on series of activities to commemorate the day, including radio discussions involving girls as the panelists, as well as a debate in the Bulpiela A/G Junior High School. Groups of girls from the Bulpiela A/G JHS debated for and against the motion “The Government of Ghana has done enough to invest in girls’ sexual rights”.

The students who wrote for the motion said the government has provided free Senior High School education and so girls who did not have access, are now in school. On the other hand, the students who spoke against the motion indicated that the government has not done enough because it has imposed tax on female hygienic products such as sanitary pads, making it expensive and reducing the level of affordability, increasing the rate of infections and further bringing down punctuality in school among girls during menstruation. At the end of the event the students were awarded with exercise books and other learning materials to help in enhancing teaching and learning. Speaking after the debate, Miss Khadijah said the debate was meant to test the basic understanding of the girls on how difficult it is for them to access services which are meant to empower them and to send a message across to authorities about the challenges girls face, in accessing information on sexual rights. She also called on stakeholders to work together and raise advocacy towards girl child empowerment, to help the girl realize her dreams and achievement her potential, since girls are vulnerable and can do little to support themselves.

The Regional Education Director for Girls’ Guide and Chairperson for the event, Mrs. Linda Amoah encouraged the students to study hard to be able to realize their dreams, as she pushed the female students particularly, to pursue their dreams to find their dream jobs even if it is considered male dominated, because everyone, whether male or female, can do anything they put their minds to.

Climaxing the activities on the 2023 IDGC by SWIDA-Gh, radio discussions were conducted Tamale-based GBC Radio Savannah, involving SWIDA-Gh staff and some students who are “KASA Advocates” focusing on ending sexual violence against girls. Executive for SWIDA-Gh, Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed speaking on the contribution of parents towards ending Sexual and Gender Based Violence said parents are not doing much when it comes to issues relating to sex and sex education for the girl child. She therefore encouraged parents to start giving their girl child sex education at homes before they end up being influenced with wrong information because they do not have knowledge about sex and its related issues.

SWIDA-Gh Trains Journalists on Gender-Sensitive Reporting

The Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Gh) has organized training for journalists in the northern region to support in capacity building on news reporting, taking into consideration, gender.

The training took place at the conference hall of SWIDA-Ghana and was focused on gender-sensitive reporting, linked to the ownership of land by women, as a way to ensuring food security in Ghana and the role of journalists in achieving this objective.

News reporters and editors across the northern region came together to learn and share experiences on what has been the bane of women’s growth, due to the newsroom’s placing less importance on the gender angles in its reporting and broadcasting, especially on the needs of the rural woman.

Main facilitator and Public Affairs Manager at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Abdul Hayi Moomen told journalists in a presentation, that the gender assigned roles and approaches in society are part of the reasons many women coil back and see themselves as not being capable, but sadly, some journalists have been part of this reality.

Mr. Moomen’s presentation indicated that media coverage not being made to reflect a “holistic and realistic view of all genders” is part of the media reporting approaches that contributes to hindering the growth or women especially.

Showing the way forward for what journalists must do to ensure their reportage covers all genders fairly Mr. Moomen said “gender-sensitive reporting should be considered a key principle of professional media production, similar to value of accuracy and balance. Gender must be considered at all levels of news production; from the editorial department where decisions are made about what stories to cover, to the field where stories are gathered”.

Executive Director for SWIDA-Gh, Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed whose presentation was titled “The land Act – A progressive law on Gender Equality”, highlighted the gender and spousal provision in the Act and on progressive land ownership by women as a way of ensuring gender equality, as she shared a stack of the realities in many rural communities with women and land ownership for various livelihood purposes.

According to Hajia Alima in her presentation, “The gender and spousal provision refers to a legal provision that ensures equal rights and opportunities for both men and women in terms of land ownership and property rights”.

The main objectives of the gender and spousal provision include ensuring equal rights to land ownership, protecting women’s land rights, promoting economic empowerment and enhancing social and political participation.

Linking land ownership by women to food security, Hajia Alima said “ensuring equitable land rights for women is essential for enhancing food security and climate resilience, since women even with the current challenges of land ownership, produce much of the food Ghana consumes”.

Penalties

There are penalties as indicated by the Lands Commission of Ghana, for flouting the new land Act of 2020 (Act 1036). A land registrar is liable to 1 – 3 years imprisonment or a fine of 5,000 to 10,000 penalty units, for failure to register land in accordance with the Act’s provisions.

Hajia Alima ended her presentation by calling on journalists across the northern region and Ghana, to read the new land Act more, to better engage stakeholders and to educate the public about the need to give what is due women to them, not do them a favor.

Gender and Communications officer for SWIDA-Gh, Khadijah Abdul-Samed entreated journalists to look beyond sensationalism in reporting on rural women, as from her experience working in the rural communities, the only voice the rural woman may have, is the media, aside NGOs.

As some of the journalists shared the realities of reporting and broadcasting when it comes to women as some of them being those limiting their capacities and shying away from the media, it was agreed by all that adequate production time and preparation should be considered when engaging women, since men have had the opportunity for a long time and can respond anytime they are called upon on the media.

Ghana CSOs Platform Trains Members on Research and Budget Tracking for Education Financing

Members of the Civil Society Organizations platform on the SDGs in the northern sector have received training on effective research, aimed at finding the gaps in education in Ghana and what can be done to plug them through government’s financing.

The CSOs platform on SDGs is facilitating for its members to raise critical issues relating to education in the 2023 budget, which remain gaps as they affect quality, and propose solutions regarding government’s financing of the education sector.

The two-day workshop at the Modern City Hotel in Tamale, raised the research capacities of participants on the steps involved in conducting an effective development research in public education in Ghana, as well as situating the findings in a way that encourages the government to invest in solutions proffered and recommendations therein.

The participants include members of the CSOs platform on SDGs in the northern sector, leaders of youth groups in schools and the social development space and a retired education director, to provide technical assistance on some of the issues to be raised from the communities.

The Workshop

The identification of a problem with a clear statement, statement of objectives, raising probing research questions, are but some of the areas participants were taken through at the workshop, to inform a solution-based research in the sector of public education financing.

Programme Manager for SEND-Ghana, Mohammed Mumuni who was the key facilitator for the workshop, encouraged participants, especially the CSOs, to continue to increase their capacity on research, to enable them effectively track the government budgets meant for development, including for the public education sector.

This, Mr. Mohammed said, “will make your work targeted at development, because the duty bearers will take you serious when you present to them your findings and make recommendations”.

In a group session by participants to find challenges in the education sector and propose financial solutions, the lack of/ or inadequate infrastructure including furniture came atop the issues raised, as it was agreed to be the fundamental challenge affecting the delivery of quality public education in deprived communities in Ghana.

Other issues such as inadequate teaching and learning materials, inadequate qualified teachers, poorly managed funds at the public schools level, were also found to be negatively affecting the quality of public education.

Future actions

The various groups were made to propose inputs into the budget of 2024, resulting from the challenges they found in communities regarding education, for which the release of funds is needed to provide solution.

For her part, the National Coordinator for the Ghana CSOs Platform on SDGs, Levlyn Konadu Asiedu, called on members and leaders of the youth groups to focus more on developing partnerships to ensure learning and sharing of experiences on education financing in the deprived communities, to increase strength in the issues, to give reason why duty bearers must listen and provide avenues for solution.

The Northern Regional convener for the Ghana CSOs Platform on SDGs and Executive Director for SWIDA-Gh, Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed said the youth group leaders were selected carefully, to bring in variety and perspective in the issue to be raised, since young people, when given the opportunity, have different lenses from which they see challenges and the solutions required.

She said “the CSOs present, you have a task to lead in the process of providing solutions to some of the challenges in the public education sector, since you now have increased your capacities in research to present more pressing findings to engage duty bearers”.

Some of the actions agreed on after the workshop included the sustenance of the connections of the various group members, to ensure the discussions continue, for learning and sharing, as well as follow up works on the budget input process, until some results are achieved.

CSOs Call for more Funding Release for Ghana’s Education Sector

Ghana’s Civil Society Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (CSOs on SDGs Platform) has been calling for members and stakeholders especially in the education sector to invest more time and efforts into advocacy to get government to raise funding allocation for the education sector.

Budgeting and funding allocation to the education sector has dipped over the years, due to what some stakeholders say is the lack of intention by successive governments to invest in the sector for it to yield the needed results.

This, they say, is the bane of basic schools in the deprived communities.

Speaking at an education financing and learning and experience sharing session at Modern City hotel in Tamale, the National Coordinator for the Ghana CSOs Platform on SDGs, Levlyn Konadu Asiedu said, CSOs need to increase efforts, move more into deprived communities across northern Ghana, to assess the availability or otherwise of the various educational inputs and how they help in improving the quality of teaching and learning.

The learning and experience sharing session is aimed at “monitoring actions carried out by CSOs and youth organisations on government’s national and international commitments on education financing”, organized by the Ghana CSOs on SDGs, through its northern regional platform.

According to Levlyn, the issue of education financing is important because the success of the entire education system in the country depends on how much money has been allocated for which of the financing components and how much has been spent, and in which specific area.

She therefore charged CSOs on the platform and other stakeholders to “take a key issue of education financing, for example the capitation grant, go to a basic school in your community and ask the headmaster how much has been received and how much has been spent on what”.

“This way, you will know what is happening in that level and this can better inform your advocacy and work on education”, the National Coordinator added.

Main facilitator of the session who joined the session via zoom, Senior Program Officer at the Ghana Education Watch, Divine Kpe painted an image of the education financing for Ghana over the past 7 years.

The Incheon declaration enjoins lower-middle income countries such as Ghana, to commit 4 to 6 percent of the nation’s GDP, and/or at least 15 to 20 percent of the Annual Budget Funding Amount to the education sector, with a focus on basic education.

As revealed by Divine’s presentation, apart from 2012 when Ghana exceeded the target of 4 to 6 percent GDP and inched up to 8%, “We have not been able to hit the 6 percent target again since then” he said.

He indicated that the woefully inadequate infrastructure in the basic school system in most deprived communities, is as a result of the capital expenditure for education, being the lowest at 17 percent, as against Goods and Services; 21 percent, and compensation being the highest at 62 percent.

The issue of budget tracking including in education financing, is an area SEND-Ghana is passionate about, as the host of the Northern Regional Secretariat of the Ghana CSOs Platform on SDGs.

Commenting on the need for CSOs to increase work in deprived communities to ensure quality is improved at the basic school level, Program Manager at SEND-Ghana, Mumini Mohammed, said monitoring and evaluation must be intensified in the schools the CSOs work, to keep the schools doing their duties of facilitation including consistently holding the School Performance Appraisal Meeting (SPAM), which offers stakeholders the platform to share ideas and discuss issues concerning teaching and learning, as well as to set standards and review plans.

Executive Director for the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Gh) who doubles as the Northern Regional convener for the Ghana CSOs Platform on SDGs, Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, called on members to be extra vigilant on the finances that are actually released to the basic schools to spend, as against the funds “budgeted and allocated”.

According to Hajia Alima, “the funds allocated in many cases do not end up getting released in full to the schools to implement the budgets they requested. So if you focus so much on the funds allocated, you may get the efforts schools are making wrong”.

“Nonetheless, as you intensify efforts for advocacy for more money to be released, ask the relevant questions at the school level, to know what the funds released have been used for”, she added.

In a breakout session for group work, various participants including members on the CSOs Platform on SDGs and leaders of youth groups shared their experiences on the financing of education as is the reality they have seen at the basic school level in some deprived communities, as they suggested solutions to the challenges therein.

Northern Woman Change Makers awards ceremony held in Tamale

By Solomon Gumah

Tamale, Sept 18, GNA – Ms Amida Iddrisu, a 26-year-old physically challenged person, together with 18 outstanding women making positive change in Northern Ghana, have been awarded.

Ms Iddrisu received the award at the maiden edition of the Northern Woman Change Makers Awards, held in Tamale.

Other awardees were Pognaba Kubura Abdul-Kadire Seidu, Queen Mother of Soo Traditional Area in the North East Region; Kansawuriche Veronica, Queen Mother of Bole Traditional Area in the Savannah Region; Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director of Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA – GH); Hajia Lamnatu Adam, Executive Director of Songtaba, Hajia Mariam Iddrisu, Executive Director of Girls to Women Foundation, Princess Felicia Zaato, Chief Executive Officer of Princess Skin and Health Centre, Fadila Fuseini, Chief Executive Officer of Tiyumba Hope Foundation, Dorcas Apoore, Executive Director of ASIGE-GHANA.

Others are Rhoda Kadoa Wedam, Chief Executive Officer of Song – Ba Empowerment Centre; Maria Johana Yuopor, Chief Executive Officer of Mara Foods and Beauty Smiles Project and Veronica Ajuilie Atinya, Chief Executive Officer of VAPCO Ventures.

The rest are Abdul-Razak Farida, Executive Director of CDA-Ghana; Martha Anabila, Executive Director of Martha Inspires Foundation; Alimatu Sadia Nuhu, Executive Director of My Hereafter Ghana and Sarah Naah Thomas, an educationist and child rights advocate.

The awards ceremony was organised by Dinbian Media Consult, a media organisation advocating and empowering women, children and other vulnerable groups in the Northern, North East, Upper West, Upper East, and the Savannah Regions.

Madam Dinbian Joyce Ali Najouk, Chief Executive Officer of Dinbian Media Consult, speaking during the awards, said women in Northern Ghana, over the years, had not been given the needed recognition despite their enormous efforts towards the socio-economic development in the regions.

She said the award was to reverse the narrative by ensuring that women were accordingly recognised, encouraged and supported to complement their male counterparts in fighting poverty, deprivation, and violence in Northern Ghana.

Mrs Vera Jawol Magan, Director of YEFL-Ghana, a youth advocacy organisation, delivering a keynote address, urged women in these regions to rise above their immediate challenges and embrace the numerous opportunities available for them.

She emphasised that the northern woman was more than capable to champion any development initiative in their communities, adding they required the spirit of courage and resilience to influence positive change.

Dr Naazia Ibrahim, Senior Lecturer at the University for Development Studies commended Dinbian Media Consult for instituting the awards programme and said it would help unravel the hidden prowess of women in the northern sector.

The awardees expressed gratitude for the recognition and pledged to work harder to bring about the needed change and development in the country.

SWIDA-Gh Honoured at Ghana Lifestyle Awards

SWIDA-Ghana received awards at the just ended Ghana Lifestyle Awards, 2023.

The Ghana Lifestyle Awards is an awards ceremony to recognise the selfless contributions of some selected individuals and organisations to the socio-economic development of the country has been held in Tamale.

This year’s ceremony was held to celebrate individuals and organisations, who have shown exceptional commitment and excellence in their respective fields, fostering positive change and inspiring others in the process.

Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency’s (SWIDA-GH) Female Leadership Mentorship Academy was adjudged Social Intervention Project of the Year.

Other awardees on the night were Modern Security Consult as Security Company of the Year, Events Sponsor of the Year went to Twellium Industrial Ghana and Youth Personality of the Year, Mumuni Sulemana, Northern Regional Director of the National Youth Authority.

The event was organised by Hyperlink Group comprising Hyperlink Institute of Professional Studies, AfriTech Hub, Hyperlink Entertainment, Africa Research Centre for Information Security, and Change Foundation Ghana, in partnership with Twellium Industrial Company Ghana Limited among others.

Chief Executive Officer of the Hyperlink Group, Dr. Anorld Mashud Abukari speaking during the ceremony, said “this is the fifth edition of the Ghana Lifestyle Awards dedicated to celebrating efficiency and the resilience of the drivers of our socio-economic lifestyles.”

He explained that prior to the awards, prospective awardees were scrutinized with extensive background research on their lifestyles and contributions to issues of development.

He said, “some of the awardees were not voted for but nominated based on merit and excellence.”

Speaking as a special guest at the event, Executive Director of SWIDA-Gh, Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed urged awardees not to relent on their efforts at contributing to the overall development of the country.

All the awardees received plaques and citations.

Empowering women in agriculture critical to minimising SGBV — SWIDA-GH

Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director of Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-GH), an NGO, has called on government to support women in agriculture to reduce Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) in the country.

She said most of the SGBV cases resulted from women’s over-reliance on their male counterparts for their needs.

She said, “If women are properly supported to take up agriculture as a viable business opportunity, they will be economically secured to help minimise cases of SGBV in our communities.”

Hajia Sagito-Saeed made the call when she addressed stakeholders and young women entrepreneurs at a forum in Tamale on how to access information and opportunities from government agencies to sustain their businesses.

The forum brought together government institutions such as the Ghana Enterprises Agency, Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, Northern Regional office of Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) and the Women in Agriculture Development Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).

It formed part of the collaboration between SWIDA-GH and the African Woman Development Fund project dubbed: “Advocacy Action for Women Economic Security and Justice in Northern Region”.

Hajia Sagito-Saeed said the project was intended to ensure that women in the region were economically strong, secure and to be able to overcome any incidence of violence against them.

Madam Salatu Abubakar, Northern Regional Officer in-charge of Women in Agriculture Development, told participants to take advantage of available opportunities in the agricultural sector to advance their aspirations of becoming agents of transformation in their communities.

She said food processing, nutrition, livestock production, food security and post-harvest losses management as well as marketing of agricultural produce were viable areas that could guarantee women economic empowerment.

Mr Sayibu Mohammed Mutawakil, Northern Regional Credit Manager of MASLOC said there were flexible credit facilities for women in agriculture at MASLOC, adding that it was important for them to put themselves into groups to enable them have access to the facilities to expand and augment their businesses.

Miss Suhad Chalpang Osman, a student of University for Development Studies commended partners for the initiative and said it had exposed participants to diverse opportunities in the agricultural sector.