Rural women celebrated for their impact in Agbledomi

As part of the International Day for Rural Women (IDRW), which is held annually on October 15, several rural women in Agbledomi, located in the Anloga District of the Volta Region of Ghana, were celebrated for their contributions to farming.

The day recognizes the critical role rural women play in agricultural development and food security. The event gathered community leaders, including queen mothers, local government representatives, and women from various rural communities.

Established by the UN General Assembly in 2007 and first observed in 2008, IDRW aims to highlight the essential roles rural women play in enhancing agricultural productivity and combating poverty.

This year’s event aligned with the theme: “Empowering Women Living in Rural Areas through Education and Access to Technology: Bridging the Gap for Inclusive and Sustainable Agri-Food Systems in Africa,” recognizing that 57.9% of the Volta Region's population resides in rural areas.

Thywill Kpe, the Volta Regional Director at the Department of Gender, emphasized that Ghana has a higher female population (51%) compared to males (49%), with the Volta Region reflecting an even greater female prevalence at 52.3%. This demographic reality underscores the importance of empowering rural women, who make up a significant portion of the agricultural workforce.

Rural women play a key role in the agricultural value chain, working as subsistence farmers and commercial producers. They contribute to labor, capital investment, food processing, and preservation—crucial activities that ensure food security for families and communities. However, despite their significant contributions, rural women face numerous challenges, including limited access to land, financial resources, and potable water. Climate change further exacerbates these challenges, impacting their livelihoods and health.

The celebration also highlighted the partnership with Cowater International under the Strengthening Investment in Gender Responsive Climate Adaptation (SIGRA) Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada. This initiative supports climate adaptation efforts aimed at benefiting women in the Volta Region, with two districts actively involved.

In her speech, Madam Kpe expressed gratitude to Cowater International for their support and emphasized the need for community partnerships to address climate-related challenges.

The event also served as a platform to celebrate the resilience of rural women in the face of adversity. With initiatives like fish farming and improved water access, the SIGRA project aims to enhance adaptation strategies. The celebration not only recognized the hard work of rural women but also reinforced the commitment to building a sustainable future that acknowledges their invaluable contributions.

According to Lauren Intven, SIGRA's Team Lead, "We're all feeling the effects of climate change, but the impacts are not equal. They differ from community to community and from person to person, depending on what resources a person has—land and access to finance/credit. Depending on their role and responsibilities in the household, rural women face some of the heaviest burdens of climate change."

Lauren Intven added that the event aimed to share the unique challenges rural women face in a changing climate and to celebrate the work they are doing to support their households and communities in adapting, along with the resilience and innovation they are leading in response to climate change. "The event recognizes the essential and important role of rural women in shaping a sustainable future for all of us," she noted.

She emphasized, "As climate impacts are local, solutions must be local too." She explained that the SIGRA project, funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by Cowater International in partnership with the Government of Ghana, is working to increase access to climate change adaptation strategies. The project collaborates with women-led civil society and community-based organizations, along with all levels of government, to ensure that the specific needs of women, as well as vulnerable and marginalized groups, are included and funded in climate adaptation initiatives.

SIGRA has been working with the Anloga District Assembly to conduct climate vulnerability assessments with local communities to identify and prioritize adaptation needs, which will be funded through three years of grants. In the first year, the prioritized adaptation projects include fish farming in Fluveme and the extension of potable water access in Agbledomi. Beyond this, SIGRA is collaborating with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct detailed district climate vulnerability assessments and fund adaptation projects aimed at supporting districts in accessing increased funding for climate adaptation efforts beyond SIGRA.