The Gwollu and Buoti communities in the Sissala West District of the Upper West Region have been provided with a mill for processing groundnut to aid the women to easily extract the oil.
The Community Development Alliance (CDA), a non-governmental organisation in the region commissioned the two state-of-the-art groundnut mills at Gwollu and Buoti at separate events.
Mr Suleman Bipuah, the Project Manager, CDA, explained that the initiative was part of the Ghana Trade and Investment Activity (GTIA), aimed to support women engaged in groundnut cultivation and its value chain to make the best out of their trade.
The GTIA activity focuses on supporting women in trade, particularly those involved in groundnut cultivation and its value chain.
He underscored the importance of women’s economic empowerment and its ripple effect on nutrition, health, education, and overall societal well-being.
Mr Bipuah expressed gratitude to the USAID for assisting to procure and install three groundnut processing machines, and training the women in quality standards, traceability, branding, marketing, and financial management.
The partnership with the USAID/Ghana Feed the Future had ensured direct support of 650 women groundnut farmers, aggregators, and processors to increase output, value addition, improve quality, packaging, branding and strengthening market linkages for increased sales, incomes, and dignified work opportunities.
He said the CDA also supported the women groups to register cooperative societies, developed business plans, acquire and install three efficient groundnut processing machines to increase productive capacity in the Sissala West and Lambussie districts of the Upper West Region.
Madam Suraj Cecilia, the Secretary to the Buoti Women’s Group, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the NGO for the groundbreaking project.
She encouraged women from other communities to follow suit and collaborate with the CDA to foster unity and collective development.
Madam Rahinatu Mustapha, a resident of Buoti, shared her experience of previously carting groundnuts to distant communities for grinding, incurring additional costs and facing logistical challenges and commended the NGO for the support to make her work easier.
Mr Mohammed Adams Sukparu, the Member of Parliament, Sissala West, commended CDA for the initiative to empower the women financially and pledged to engage with the women to ensure the sustainable use of the mills to achieve the desired impact.
GNA
CAE/LKA/ABD
15 March 2024
Picture Caption: Displayed products of some of the women
