ENHANCING FOOD SECURITY IN GHANA THROUGH WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: THE ROLE OF NGOS KANNYIRI

Abstract

The study was conducted to find out how NGOs help empower women in Ghana through enhanced agricultural activities, and how this affects food production in the country. It was conducted , using basically primary data from a field survey of 220 respondents, including women who have been part of NGO women empowerment programmes, women who have never been part of such programmes, and some NGO workers in the Nadowli District of the Upper West Region of Ghana. The study found that women who have participated in the NGO women empowerment programmes are more likely to go into commercial farming, own their own farms and hire labour for farming than those who have never participated in such programmes. The study also found that empowered women are more likely to increase their food production on farms they work on, whether it belongs to them or not, and that women empowerment indeed, leads to higher food production in the country. The study recommends more women should be encouraged to take advantage of these programmes organized by the NGOs and that other organizations should join in this effort. It was also recommended that the study be replicated in other parts of the country and further studies conducted on the factors that determine a woman, decision to participate in these women empowerment programmes organized by the NGOs in the country.