Press Release: Agro Kings Ltd and GIZ Ghana support Women in Agriculture Mechanisation Skill Development
Kasunya, March 03, 2023: The Agro Kings Farm was abuzz with excitement as 15 young women graduated from the Women in Agriculture Mechanisation Program, a four-week intensive training program organised by Agro Kings Ltd in partnership with GIZ and, through the Sustainable Employment through Agribusiness (AgriBiz) Programme. The training equipped the young women with the skills and knowledge to pilot commercial drones, operate and maintain farm machinery, specifically tractors and heavy-duty equipment.
The Women in Agriculture Mechanisation program did not only teach the trainees technical skills but also provided soft skills training in health and safety management in agricultural machinery operations, drone piloting, and leadership skills. These soft skills are necessary to build a value-driven and successful career in Agriculture.
The success of this program shows that with the right investments and partnerships, women can be empowered to drive economic growth and development in Ghana. The employability and skills development of these young women will be boosted through a three-month internship program to in agriculture mechanisation companies across the country. Agro Kings and GIZ Ghana remain committed to supporting women and youth in agriculture through capacity building measures that will bridge the skills gap in the sector.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the General Manager of Agro Kings, Angela Barnes, stated, “We are particularly excited about this collaboration for two reasons. Mechanisation is as integral as the role of women in agriculture, and partnerships like these, with GIZ-AgriBiz programme, help in improving our immediate agricultural systems while improving the livelihoods of people.”
The Head of the AgriBiz Programme, Dr. Elke Stumpf, in her remarks indicated, “The German Cooperation, through GIZ, is keen on creating sustainable economic development, employment and prosperity for all, but more especially for women and young people. We aim to build on getting more young women in the sector, following the 12 that were gainfully employed after last year’s training.”
About Agro Kings
Established in 2017, Agro Kings Limited is a Ghanaian agricultural company premised on advancing human lives by focusing on farming, value added agriculture and innovating using technology to support global food security. Supporting smallholder farmers, empowering women in agriculture and engaging in climate smart agriculture is at the heart of the company’s operations.
Through partnerships with Mastercard Foundation, ABSA Bank, GIZ Ghana and Advanz Ghana, Agro Kings has trained women and smallholder farmers. Currently working with over 300 smallholder farmers, the company is assiduously working towards increasing their engagement with smallholder farmers by the end of this year. Additionally, with value added agriculture at the core of Agro Kings’ business, the company has a wide range of quality Ghana — made food products. These include Nana’s Rice, Ghana’s leading premium rice brand, Ceresoya, Chichi’s Sweet Potatoes, Nana’s Chilli and Mama’s Chicken.
For more information, kindly visit www.agrokings.io
About AgriBiz
The Sustainable Employment through AgriBusiness (AgriBiz) is a project, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). AgriBiz supports the Ghanaian Ministry of Trade and Industry to improve the framework conditions for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). This is achieved through interventions at the private-sector level and through capacity development for agribusiness MSMEs and the long-term institutionalization of this approach among private and public service providers, as well as strengthening the representation of interests through member-based organisations.
About GIZ
As a provider of international cooperation services for sustainable development and international education work, GIZ is dedicated to building a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment, energy and the environment, and peace and security. The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe, with the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector and governments of other countries all benefiting from our services. We work with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is our main commissioning party.
Currently, GIZ promotes sustainable development in Ghana via about 50 programmes and projects. GIZ is boosting Ghana’s potential by focusing its projects on three priority areas: Responsibility for our planet — climate and energy, Training and sustainable growth for decent jobs as well as Peaceful and inclusive societies. Additionally, our portfolio extends to other areas such as environment, peace and security. Another focus of GIZ’s work is linking business interests with development-policy goals. Most of the programmes and projects we support in Ghana have successfully brought together national and international private companies, the public sector, and civil society groups to collaborate on development initiatives.
Written by Naa Adei Kotey
