Groundnut processing boosts women’s empowerment – study

There is increasing recognition of the crucial role women play as the backbone of agricultural production and small-scale processing activities.

Women’s empowerment is now a key focus of international development, with gender equality recognized as both a human right and a driver of economic growth and sustainable development.

In northern Ghana, women dominate the groundnut value chain, particularly in post-harvest processing.

However, limited access to modern processing infrastructure continues to constrain their productivity, profitability, and overall economic empowerment.

In response, a study led by Dr. Bernice Wadei of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources examined the perceived impact of groundnut processing infrastructure on women’s economic empowerment (WEE) in Ghana.

The research employed qualitative methods, including 42 in-depth interviews and 20 focus group discussions involving 161 participants.

The findings revealed that improved groundnut processing infrastructure has significantly enhanced women’s economic empowerment.

Specifically, it has increased their access to income and strengthened their participation in household and business decision-making.

It has also improved their savings capacity, facilitated asset acquisition, enhanced their freedom of movement, increased social recognition, strengthened their sense of self-worth, and contributed to their overall economic well-being.

Based on these findings, the study recommends that policymakers prioritize improving women’s access to modern and efficient groundnut processing technologies to boost productivity and profitability.

Additionally, training programmes should be designed to strengthen women’s technical and business management skills, enabling them to effectively operate and expand their processing enterprises.

The study was published in Social Sciences & Humanities Open.