The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has lauded the vital contributions of women in Ghana’s agricultural sector, speaking at the 2025 annual festival of the Brong Ahafo Women Co-operative Cocoa Farming and Marketing Central Union Limited (BAWCO) in Techiman.
The event, themed “Nurturing Women, Cultivating Life,” recognized the impact of women in cocoa farming and agribusiness.
Addressing participants, Mr. Opoku emphasized that women are the backbone of Ghana’s food and agricultural value chain, noting, “Women constitute 52% of the agricultural labour force, contribute 70% of the country’s food production, and represent 90% of the agricultural processing and marketing workforce.”
He praised BAWCO for advancing the welfare of female cocoa farmers, describing the cooperative as “one of the best initiatives to promote farmers’ prosperity and economic empowerment.”
To support the union’s activities, he contributed GH₵40,000.
On Ghana’s position in the global cocoa market, Mr. Opoku observed that while the country has shifted from the world’s largest cocoa producer to second place, Ghanaian cocoa continues to be unmatched in quality. He attributed this to the nation’s long-standing reputation for premium beans.
Sharing a personal story, he recounted that his mother was a cocoa farmer whose income helped fund his education, reinforcing his dedication to improving farmer welfare and promoting value addition.
He noted, “Farmers abroad are wealthier than their Ghanaian counterparts because they benefit from value addition to their produce.”
Mr. Opoku highlighted the former Mahama administration’s policy of integrating agribusiness into the Trade Ministry, emphasizing that value addition should drive Ghana’s economic growth.
He also addressed environmental concerns, linking illegal mining (galamsey) to the destruction of farmlands and water bodies, and warning that such activities threaten the future of agriculture in Ghana.
On the recent food surplus, he assured farmers that the government has provided an initial GH₵100 million through the National Food Buffer Stock Company to purchase excess produce, adding that additional funds would be made available if necessary.
He further committed to protecting cocoa farmers’ interests, stating that the government will continue to adjust cocoa prices upward in line with global market trends to ensure farmers benefit from international price changes.
The BAWCO Festival brought together women farmers, cooperatives, traditional leaders, and key stakeholders in the agricultural sector to explore opportunities for growth, sustainable farming practices, and value addition.
