Farm scientifically to maximise crop yields on small farmlands — MTN Ghana urges female farmers

On the commemoration of International Day for Rural Women, MTN Ghana held a training for 40 female farmers in Santor, Greater Accra region, to teach scientific farming methods aimed at increasing productivity.

The training was facilitated by agronomists who provided both theory and field exhibitions.

"We brought in some agricultural extension officers who will follow up with the women to ensure they are practising what they learned," said Adwoa Wiafe, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Ghana.

"The impact we seek is for these women to learn new practices and propagate their knowledge to others in their communities,” she added.

A key focus was on utilizing limited farmland more efficiently. "With farmlands getting smaller, the question is how to increase yields on the land," Madam Wiafe explained, indicating "This exposes women to new ways of farming to improve what they already do."

Alex Afari, co-founder and COO of Defarmercist Limited, one of the facilitators, advised prioritizing irrigation as rainfall becomes less reliable.

"If you have access to irrigation, you can produce year-round and make more money in the dry season," he said.

The training also covered using organic alternatives like aged poultry manure. "Organic farming can be dangerous if the manure isn't decomposed to cure pathogens," cautioned Mr. Afari.

"But it's affordable and effective if done properly,” he averred.

Also facilitating, Charles Agyemang explained various ways to prevent crop diseases, including spraying fungicides and practising mulching.

"There are certain diseases in the air which are sometimes hard to prevent but spraying fungicides on the crops will make them able to resist them," he said.

The training aimed to address the low yields faced by many female farmers due to lack of access to modern techniques.

MTN hopes the workshops will boost productivity on limited farmlands through sustainable practices. Extension officers will follow up to ensure farmers apply their new knowledge.

The International Day for Rural Women recognizes the critical role played by rural women in ensuring food security and sustainable development globally.

It aims to promote women's rights and empowerment in agricultural and rural communities.