Accra: The Embassy of Israel in Ghana, through MASHAV, has engaged female students in agriculture at the University of Ghana to encourage women's participation in the agriculture sector. The event, dubbed 'Women in Agriculture Seminar,' hosted Mr. Roey Gilad, the Israeli ambassador to Ghana, along with his wife and several women who are trailblazers in the agriculture sector, as part of activities to mark the 2025 International Women's Day (IWD).
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Gilad emphasized that agriculture remains the backbone of both the Ghanaian and Israeli economies. He stressed that women's participation in the sector is critical to ensuring food security. Professor Eric Nartey, Dean of the School of Agriculture, mentioned that the University, in collaboration with other stakeholders, is working on using technology and innovations to solve challenges in the sector, specifically mentioning rice farming.
The University is also focusing on improving the practical component of training to enhance the duration of fieldwork and practicals for students, with a particular emphasis on giving female students more exposure to career opportunities in agriculture. Professor Nartey appealed to the Israeli Ambassador to restore the one-year exchange program for agriculture students to Israel, which has stalled since the COVID-19 era, expressing hope that it would boost the interest of women pursuing studies in the sector.
Mrs. Tammy Erann-SOL, an Israeli, along with Mrs. Martha Adjorlolo and Ms. Eugenia Osei, both female agriculturists, shared their experiences and journeys in agriculture with the students. They extolled the opportunities in the agriculture sector and encouraged female students to pursue careers in it. Mrs. Martha Adjorlolo, Farm Manager at the Livestock Poultry Research Centre (LIPREC), University of Ghana, highlighted the vast and attractive career opportunities in agriculture and urged female students to ignore stereotypes and take their studies seriously.
She noted that subjects like physics and chemistry are crucial and interconnected with agriculture, adding that their importance becomes apparent when working in the field. Ms. Eugenia Osei, an agriculturist and CEO of Cosmofarm Consult, stated that growing up in a farming community is not a precondition for pursuing agriculture studies; rather, hard work and commitment are key.
