A couple of years ago, I was at a dusty little bus terminal in the middle of the Ashanti Region, waiting for a ride back to Accra. Next to me sat an older woman with calloused hands and mud-streaked boots. She looked exhausted. But when I asked her what she did, her whole face lit up. “I’m a farmer,” she said, grinning like it was the best job in the world. And you know what? That moment stuck with me.
I think about her every time I hear news about women in agriculture—especially now, with the launch of the 7th Women in Food and Agricultural Leadership Training Forum and the Gold in the Soil Awards. Try saying that ten times fast. But seriously, these aren’t just fancy events. They’re a big deal. They celebrate women who, like the woman at that terminal, are out there doing the hard work. The muddy, sweaty, backbreaking, but deeply meaningful work of growing our food and feeding a nation.
And here's the thing that blows my mind: so many of these women aren't just growing crops. They're leading communities, building businesses, and teaching others how to do the same. Yet, outside of their farms and maybe a few WhatsApp groups, they barely get noticed.
That’s why this forum and awards matter.
This year’s launch isn’t just a continuation—it’s a movement growing stronger. It's a spotlight on rural women farmers who often don't have the resources or recognition they deserve. The “Gold in the Soil” part? That’s not just poetic. It’s literal. These women are the gold. Their hands are in the soil, day in and day out, and they’re quietly building empires.
But of course, like most things meant to empower, it's not without its skeptics. Some people roll their eyes at awards like this. “Do they really change anything?” they ask. Honestly, I used to wonder the same. I mean, an award isn’t a tractor or land or access to credit. But then I watched a video of a past winner—this young woman from the Upper West Region—sobbing as she held her trophy. She said it was the first time in her life anyone had seen her. And yeah… that kind of hit me.
Recognition isn’t everything. But it can be the spark that changes everything.
It’s also cool (and kind of rare) to see these events offer more than applause. The WOFAGRIC forum brings women together to learn, connect, and grow—literally and figuratively. It’s part leadership bootcamp, part community hug, and part hustle hub. Where else do you get a safe space for women to talk candidly about pests, pricing, and patriarchy?
I don’t know about you, but I find something incredibly inspiring in that.
There’s still so much to be done. Access to land is still unequal. Financing? Don’t even get me started. And there’s a lot of policy talk with very little walk. But progress is happening—in fields, in forums, in moments of unexpected recognition.
So yeah, the 7th WOFAGRIC and Gold in the Soil Awards are more than just an annual thing. They’re a reminder that the future of food isn’t sitting in a boardroom or some sterile lab. It’s standing in the sun, boots caked in mud, proud and unbothered.
Makes you wonder—how many brilliant women, feeding entire communities, are going unnoticed in your own backyard?
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