Northern Regional Minister praises GROW 2 Project for transforming women’s agriculture in Northern Ghana

The Greater Rural Opportunities for Women 2 (GROW 2) project, a five-year, Canadian-funded initiative, concluded this week in northern Ghana, leaving officials emphasizing the need for local communities to maintain its positive impacts. The $25 million project, implemented by Mennonite Economic Development Associates since 2021, aimed to address climate and market barriers hindering women smallholder farmers in the Northern, Upper West, and Savannah regions.

During the close-out ceremony in Tamale, the Mayor of Tamale, Abu Takoro, hailed the project as a model for inclusive growth and financial inclusion. Takoro highlighted the project's achievements, including the construction of 35 mechanized solar-powered irrigation boreholes, expansion of access to finance for women-led smallholder farms and SMEs, distribution of improved seeds and processing equipment, and provision of motorized tricycles for market transport.

These infrastructure developments were strategically placed across 11 districts to empower over 3,000 women organized into Savings and Loans Groups, allowing them to venture beyond the rainy season and improve their agricultural yields. Takoro also noted the project's alignment with the Government of Ghana's flagship programs, such as the Feed Ghana Program, Feed the Industry Program, and Agriculture Investment and Infrastructure Programs, all aimed at increasing productivity, generating employment, and supplying raw materials for local industries.

Following the project's official closure, officials framed the event as a celebration and a call to action for sustaining the gains made through GROW 2. Takoro urged savings groups, MSMEs, community leaders, and private partners to continue nurturing the networks and systems established by the project to ensure long-term development.