Women in poultry interact with university students

In an effort to encourage more women into the poultry industry, the Apex Body of Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC-Apex), has engaged female students from the University of Ghana on opportunities in the poultry industry.

On the theme: "Realising Entrepreneurial Opportunities within the Poultry Value Chain," the event was part of activities by WIPVaC-Apex to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day which fell on March 8.

It was held in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture's Ghana Poultry Project.

Speaking to the students in Accra, the National President of the association, Mrs Victoria Norgbey, said the event was aimed at encouraging more women into the poultry value chain.

She said the poultry value chain embraced aggregators of maize and soya, day-old chick suppliers, dealers of poultry inputs such as fishmeal, concentrates, poultry drugs and poultry feed, among others.

The value chain, she said, also created an opportunity for researchers, extension services and capacity builders within the poultry sector.

According to her, women featured at every stage of the poultry value chain as key managers of the poultry business but lacked the pre-requisite expertise for a viable profitable poultry business.

She said that was the reason why the WIPVaC-Apex was established to help address the specific needs of women towards a profitable poultry business.

“Access to finance and market is a major deterrent for entry into the poultry business in Ghana, as such WIPVaC-Apex dares to facilitate women along the poultry value chain to address some of these concerns,” she added.

Giant step forward

For her part, the Chief of Party at the Ghana Poultry Project (GPP), Ms Carianne de Boer, stated that the fact that a fraternity of women across the poultry sector could come together to advance their cause with one voice was a giant step forward.

“This is something to be proud of. As the United States Department of Agriculture’s Ghana Poultry Project, we have been pleased to partner with various groups in Ghana’s poultry sector, all of which are committed to empowering women to reach their potential, no matter which level of the value chain they operate at,” she said.

She observed that the GPP equally was committed to supporting action that fully engaged women in agricultural value chains, leadership and decision-making.

According to her, women’s participation in agriculture benefited more people in their families and communities compared to their male counterparts.