Accra: Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS), only 12.7 percent of women in Ghana own farmland, either solely or jointly, compared to 24.7 percent of men. This reveals not only a major gender gap in land ownership but also highlights the challenges facing women, particularly in rural communities.
According to Ghana News Agency, despite the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036) which made provision for comprehensive regulations on sustainable land administration, secure tenure, and improved governance, efforts to protect women’s land rights, customary and land tenure systems, especially in Northern Ghana, still remain a significant barrier, which is often characterized by limited enforcement and weak community engagement.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Hajia Hawa Musah, Northern Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), said the issues of women access to fertile farmlands, especially in Northern Ghana, was not a respecter of statuses of women in society. She explained that the issue about women having access to farmlands in northern Ghana is systematic and required more than just formulation and implementation of policies and programmes, and said it required incorporating strategic enforcement mechanisms that enhanced inclusivity in compliance.
For years, women like Mohammed Mariama, a cowpea farmer at Nyankpala in the Tolon District of the Northern Region, the dream of having her own land and cultivating her own crop has remained a mirage. Madam Mariama told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) her struggles in cowpea cultivation ranged from access to fertile land, credit, high pesticide costs, and low yields due to the Maruca vitrata pod borer pest.
In July 2024, Ghana officially released the Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea, locally branded ‘Songotra-T’, developed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) and partners. Genetically modified to resist the Maruca pest, this new variety is changing perceptions of women farmers. With yields of up to 2,534 kg per hectare, that is more than five times the national average of 483 kg, it is helping women farmers gain economic independence and respect.
Adoption of the PBR cowpea is spreading beyond Tolon District. A GNA checks in Sagnarigu and Savelugu Municipality confirmed more women cultivating the PBR variety as a source of livelihood. ‘I used to beg for land to grow cowpea, but after piloting the PBR variety last year, and seeing the impressive yield, my husband gave me more land this year, because the proceeds were helpful to the family’ Amina Alhassan, a cowpea farmer in the Savelugu Municipality, attested.
Dr. Jerry Nboyine, Principal Investigator for the PBR cowpea project at CSIR-SARI, told GNA the pest resistance reduced pesticide use by up to 80%, lowering both health risks and production costs. ‘From our estimation, a farmer can earn up to 400 percent more, as compared to other varieties’. But Dr Nboyine believes the biggest change is how the seed is redefining women’s roles in agriculture.
Alhaji Yussif Amuda Fuseini, Tamale Metropolitan Director of Agriculture, emphasized importance of cowpea for food security and nutrition, especially in rural areas where women are often the primary caregivers. ‘This seed does not just survive, it thrives in even harsh weather conditions’, and noted some women are now processing surplus cowpea into snacks, flour, and other products for sale, creating new income streams.
Despite its success, the PBR cowpea faces challenges, including uneven distribution, especially in remote areas, where some women still lack access to certified seeds and accurate information. Similarly, some traditional leaders remain unaware of its potential, to unlock the full potential of the PBR variety.
The following below are therefore some suggested recommendations for consideration in ensuring that lands are made available to more women to venture into producing the PBR variety of the cowpea. First, it is important to scale up certified seed production and distribution, prioritizing underserved women. Secondly, since cowpea is mostly cultivated by women farmers, it is critical to train more women as peer educators and agro-dealers to encourage more women to embrace the variety to help minimize issues of hunger and malnutrition in households.