Mali Yakubu, milling soya beans for processing.
“I produce about 5 bowls of soya kebab every week, which I mostly sell on market days and in the Tampion township. This dry season, unlike the other ones in the past where we were mostly idle, I might say I make some profits for the family upkeep”, Mali stated.
Besides income, the women and their families also consume the processed food products for good nutrition and use the shea butter as a cosmetic. Mali is part of the over 7,200 women in 24 communities supported with agro-processing facilities in four regions in Northern Ghana. This forms part of a 4-year climate change adaptation project, implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and 46 local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)/Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The project, funded by the Adaptation Fund, aimed to build the resilience of more than 100,000 people to climate change impacts in 50 communities.
Undoubtedly, empowering women to adapt to climate change impacts is beneficial to society at large. That is why the preamble of the Paris Agreement on climate change challenges countries to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, calling on them to adopt gender-responsive approaches. So have the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially SDG 5 recognized the need for women to be integral part of development processes and solutions.
In line with the above, during the implementation of the project, women were directly involved in the entire value chain of the dry season activities and livelihood interventions that include the agricultural processing schemes. In all, over 11,000 direct beneficiaries (60% women) have been introduced to climate change adaptation activities including other initiatives like cage and fish-pond farming; dry season gardening; and honey production, which are creating new income generating opportunities for the beneficiaries.
The 50 communities have also been provided with 145 boreholes, benefiting over 40,000 people mainly women and children. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, having access to clean water, just few meters away from home, instead of traveling miles to the river side, could not have come at a better time like this.
Climate Change & Energy
Women Empowered In Climate Action With Alternative Livelihood Options
Source: UNDP Ghana - February 11, 2021
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