Former National Best Female Farmer Pledges GHS100,000 to Boost Women in Agriculture

The Founder and CEO of Rockland Farms, Mrs. Edith Akosah Wheatland, has thrown her weight behind efforts to strengthen women's participation in Ghana's agricultural sector, announcing a substantial GHS100,000 donation to support the 2026 National Best Female Farmer award. The contribution underscores growing recognition among agricultural leaders that empowering women farmers is crucial to achieving the nation's food security goals.

The donation was presented ahead of the 42nd Farmers' Day Celebration, scheduled for 4 December 2026 in Sunyani, Bono Region. As the 2023 National Best Female Farmer herself, Akosah Wheatland is uniquely positioned to advocate for her peers, having navigated the challenges and opportunities within Ghana's agribusiness landscape.

Why Women Farmers Matter for Ghana's Food Security

Akosah Wheatland emphasised that women in agriculture represent far more than individual entrepreneurs—they are anchors of family nutrition, community resilience, and national food systems. Her remarks align with long-standing evidence that women farmers, when given adequate resources, often reinvest profits back into their households and localities, creating multiplier effects across rural economies.

Speaking at the donation ceremony, she stressed that targeted support—access to finance, modern technology, and reliable market linkages—transforms outcomes for female farmers. "When women are supported in terms of finance, technology, and market, women thrive, and when you support women in agribusiness, you are supporting the family, the community, and the future of the food systems," she noted.

Ghana's agricultural sector has long relied heavily on smallholder farmers, a significant proportion of whom are women. Yet barriers to credit, land ownership, and technology access have historically limited their productivity and incomes. Recent policy initiatives have attempted to address these gaps, but private sector engagement—as exemplified by Akosah Wheatland's donation—signals that solutions require collective effort beyond government alone.

Government's Food Security Push

Receiving the donation, Minister of Food and Agriculture Hon. Eric Opoku highlighted the urgency of achieving national food self-sufficiency. He confirmed that funds will directly benefit the 2026 award winner and pledged public recognition for Rockland Farms' contribution at the ceremony.

The minister's remarks reflect ongoing policy emphasis on reducing Ghana's food import bill and boosting domestic production capacity. Food self-sufficiency remains a key national development objective, particularly given global supply chain volatility and the need to strengthen rural livelihoods.

A Call to Other Agricultural Leaders

Notably, Akosah Wheatland also encouraged other past National Best Farmer award winners to emulate her example, positioning philanthropic support for the awards scheme as a shared responsibility among successful agricultural entrepreneurs. This appeal suggests an emerging culture of mentorship and mutual support within Ghana's elite farming circles.

The Minister further called on all stakeholders and members of the public to contribute resources and energy to the December 2026 Farmers' Day celebration, framing the event as an opportunity to honour the nation's farming community and reinforce commitment to agricultural development.

As Ghana continues to grapple with rising food prices and supply challenges, initiatives like Rockland Farms' donation highlight the strategic importance of investing in female farmers—not as a charitable gesture, but as pragmatic policy aligned with national food security imperatives.