The Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS), together with a delegation of Women Champions and conservation partners from Côte d’Ivoire, has visited Bunyanso Farms Limited to expose the women champions to cashew production, processing, value addition, and integrated agricultural development.
The visit formed part of the Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire Women Champions exchange program under the AfricElle Project, sponsored by NABU.
This project provides a platform for Ghanaian and Côte d’Ivoire women to exchange experiences, learn from successful livelihood initiatives and explore practical approaches to strengthening women’s participation in climate-resilient livelihoods, sustainable agriculture and conservation.
During the visit, the Municipal Officer for Women in Agriculture Development (WIAD), Department of Agriculture, West Gonja Municipal, Madam Zubaidatu A. Amidu called for increased participation of women in the cashew value chain.
She highlighted opportunities for women in cashew processing, value addition, agribusiness, entrepreneurship, skills development, access to finance and markets.
Madam Amidu also stressed the importance of creating opportunities for women and young people to benefit from agricultural and agro-processing enterprises.
Mr. Francis Opong, Head of Extension Services at the Department of Agriculture, West Gonja Municipal, explained the importance of effective extension services in improving cashew production and productivity.
He said continuous farmer education and the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices are critical to improving yields, maintaining healthy plantations and promoting sustainable production.
He welcomed the exchange with the Côte d’Ivoire delegation, noting that experiences and lessons from both countries could contribute to strengthening extension delivery and improving the capacity of cashew farmers.
The Chief Executive Officer of Bunyanso Farms Limited and Founder and Executive Director of NORGIID GHANA, Iddrisu Sumani (Azambuja), said the visit provided an important opportunity to demonstrate how agricultural development, women’s livelihoods and environmental conservation can be linked.
He said sustainable cashew production, agroforestry, responsible land management and value addition could improve farmer livelihoods, create employment and contribute to environmental sustainability.
Iddrisu Sumani, also President of the West Gonja District Co-operative Cashew Farmers & Marketing Union Ltd. and a Farmers’ Representative on the Cashew Council of Ghana, expressed appreciation to the Ghana Wildlife Society and the Côte d’Ivoire delegation for visiting Bunyanso Farms.
He said Bunyanso Farms Limited, in partnership with Northern Ghana Integrated Initiatives for Development (NORGIID GHANA), remains committed to working with government institutions, farmer organisations, conservation organisations, private-sector actors and development partners to promote sustainable agriculture, strengthen livelihoods and expand opportunities for value addition.
Mr. Abdulai Abdul Mumin, the General Manager of the Ghana Co-operative Cashew Farmers and Marketing Association Ghana Ltd., Board Member of the Cashew Council of Ghana and Board Member of the Tree Crops Development Authority representing cashew farmers across Ghana, emphasised the importance of strong farmer organisations and effective linkages across the cashew value chain.
He called for stronger collaboration among farmers, government agencies, processors, private-sector actors and development partners to improve productivity, market access and farmer incomes.
Mr. Abdul Mumin highlighted the value of Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire knowledge sharing, particularly in improved production practices, farmer organisation and cooperative development, processing and value addition.
Appreciating the exchange programme, the Côte d’Ivoire delegation, led by Ms. Diabaté Maboridjon of SOS Forêts, and the Ghana Wildlife Society team, led by Dr. Sandra Owusu-Gyamfi, Executive Director of GWS, expressed the importance of continued collaboration and learning between women champions and conservation partners in both countries.
The engagement reinforced the importance of partnerships among community women, conservation organisations, government institutions, farmer organisations and the private sector in developing sustainable livelihood opportunities.
They expressed a shared commitment to applying lessons from the exchange visit in their respective communities and strengthening women-led initiatives that contribute to livelihood improvement, environmental conservation, climate resilience and local economic development.
The delegation explored opportunities associated with cashew apple and kernel processing, as well as the potential for women to participate in processing, packaging, marketing, entrepreneurship and other stages of the value chain.
The experience demonstrated how women can move beyond being producers of raw agricultural commodities to become active participants in processing, value addition and market development.
The visit to Bunyanso Farms Limited, in partnership with Northern Ghana Integrated Initiatives for Development (NORGIID GHANA), therefore served not only as a practical learning experience on cashew production and value addition, but also as an example of how integrated agricultural approaches and strategic partnerships can create opportunities for women and young people while supporting conservation and sustainable development.
