The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has reaffirmed government’s strong commitment to empowering women in agribusiness as key drivers of Ghana’s economic transformation.
Speaking at the Brong Ahafo Women Co-operative Cocoa Farming and Marketing Central Union (BAWCOF) Annual Festival held in Techiman on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, the Minister praised the group for their immense contribution to women’s empowerment and sustainable cocoa production. The event was held under the theme “Nourishing Women, Cultivating Lives.”
Hon. Ofosu-Adjare lauded BAWCOF’s achievements since its establishment in 2021, noting that the Union has empowered over 7,000 rural women cocoa farmers across nine cocoa districts. Through training in cooperative marketing, leadership, and sustainable farming, these women have strengthened their role in Ghana’s cocoa value chain.
She emphasised that the restructuring of her Ministry to include Agribusiness and Industry reflects the government’s determination to strengthen value chains, enhance productivity, and promote industrial linkages that create sustainable jobs.
The Minister revealed that the government is implementing strategic programmes such as the Feed the Industry Programme, which seeks to increase factory capacity utilisation from 30–40% to 70–80% by linking smallholder farmers—particularly women—directly to agro-processors through structured contract arrangements.
To further accelerate agribusiness growth, Hon. Ofosu-Adjare outlined key policy interventions, including:
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Tax waivers on agro-processing machinery to attract investment;
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Support for local machinery production through the GRATIS Foundation and the Rural Enterprise Programme; and
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Value-chain financing schemes under GIRSAL.
She also highlighted that the government’s investment in cold-chain infrastructure could generate nearly USD 900 million annually in the fruits and vegetables sector.
The Minister announced that the Ministry is developing a National Agribusiness Policy aimed at integrating value chains, promoting inclusiveness, and ensuring that women farmers and agripreneurs have a central voice in national agribusiness development.
As part of her visit, Hon. Ofosu-Adjare toured an exhibition of agribusiness products and commended the creativity and innovation of women entrepreneurs. She also presented trophies to the winners of the women’s cooking competition, describing their work as a testament to the power of Ghanaian women to create value “from the soil to the table.”
Also present was the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, who commended Ghanaian women for their crucial role in agriculture. He noted that women constitute 52% of the agricultural labour force, contribute 70% of national food production, and represent 90% of processing and marketing activities.
Hon. Opoku praised BAWCOF for promoting the welfare of female cocoa farmers and donated GH₵40,000 to support their operations. He also underscored the importance of value addition, emphasising that the integration of agribusiness into the Trade Ministry was a strategic step to ensure farmers fully benefit from their produce.
The festival brought together hundreds of women farmers, traditional leaders, cooperatives, and stakeholders across the cocoa value chain to celebrate achievements and explore new opportunities for growth, empowerment, and sustainability.
