Women in Agribusiness empowering rural development.
As part of efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through agribusiness, Ms Catherine Akpaloo, Co-founder of Tractor Services on Credit Ltd (TRASEC), has intimated her commitment to offer tractor services on credit to marginalised and young women in farming in the rural settings and other small holder farmers for food security, empowerment and financial inclusion.
Catherine Akpaloo, made up her mind at an early age to become a tractor owner and an operator in order to offer her mother and other women farmers, tractor services even on credit.
Explaining what motivation her to become who she is today, she said, “Having been brought up by a single mother who was a farmer and has not got any tractor service on her farm nor any proper agronomic practice but had to rely on the traditional way of farming with hoes and cutlasses, and as a result sustained broken back at all times, I envisioned to work hard to achieve greater heights in order to also help and empower young women entrepreneurs in the agricultural value chain.”
Ms Akpaloo, reiterated that she was very passionate about using agribusiness to accomplish the UNs Sustainable Development Goals and willing to serve in that endeavour.
According to her, “This dream was rekindled when I got the opportunity for a tractor training by GIZ on their Women behind the Wheels project.”
She however, urged young women not to entertain the notion that some jobs are for men only and some also for women only. They should rather take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.
The Mechanisation Department of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in collaboration with GIZ on Friday, September 7 launched Women in Driving Seat programme at the Adidome Farm Institute in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region to develop women’s skills in managing agricultural machinery and equipment for enhanced agricultural productivity in Ghana.
The objective was to increase women’s employability and earning potentials particularly in the field of mechanised agriculture.
