Empowering women is integral to the development of every setting, whether local or international. Ensuring that women are empowered and own their narratives is one of the core mandates of URBANET Ghana. Through the GROW2 Project, URBANET has supported Women Smallholder Farmers (WSHFs) with labour-saving tools to help reduce the time spent on farms as well as increase production. This is through the direct Price Discount support to WHSFs. Under the scheme, the Client (WHSFs) pays fifty per cent (50%) of the Cost (Ghc1250.00) to the supplier and then MEDA GROW2 the other  fifty percent (50%) as well. 

Among the communities that benefited from this initiative were a few within the East Gonja, North East Gonja, Central Gonja, Tamale Metro, Savelugu and Nanton districts in the Northern Region. Earlier this year, some women could purchase Roller Planters with the support of Urbanet’s GROW2 Project Officers and the fifty per cent support from the project, enabling them to increase yield within the shortest time using innovative methods. Most of these women have been able to not only plant their seeds within the shortest time as compared to previous farming seasons but have also been able to use them as a source of income.

Mariam, a client of GROW2 in the Nanton district who owns the Roller Planter, has been able to use the machine for her planting this season and has commercialised it as well. She offers services to people within and around her community with her roller planter for a fee. She mentioned during an interaction with the Project officer that she has been able to make about two thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc2000.00) from renting out her Roller Planter to other farmers. She added, “Using the Roller Planter has made planting easy and time efficient. With this tool, I’m able to plant three acres of land in a day, compared to the one acre I used to plant in previous seasons without the roller planter. I intend to buy an additional Roller Planter to increase the services I render and the benefit therein.”

The Roller planters, among other farm implements, have enabled innovative farming for the farmers that acquired them and those around them. These farmers are transforming their methods and those around them, creating a ripple effect across the communities. Through this project, and guidance from URBANET’s project coordinator and his team, efforts are made to increase impact in other aspects of people’s lives while ensuring its sustainability. Mariam is one of many people who are benefiting from the GROW2 project, and URBANET is looking beyond developing the lives of the selected clients. It aims to ensure that the benefit of the project transcends everyone.