By Seraphine Nyuiemedi
The International Day of Rural Women has been celebrated at Agbledomi in the Anloga District of the Volta Region with a call to acknowledge and support the crucial role rural women play in building resilient communities in the face of climate change.
The event, which drew representatives from government, civil society, and traditional leaders, emphasized the importance of gender-responsive climate adaptation strategies.
The team lead of the SIGRA project, Lauren Intven highlighted the critical work being done through the Strengthening Investments in Gender Responsive Climate Adaptation initiative. She underscored the disproportionate burden climate change places on rural women, who often have limited access to resources such as land and finance.
“Rural women face some of the heaviest burdens of climate change, yet they are leading the charge in adapting to these changes,” Lauren noted.
The SIGRA project, which operates in two regions (Volta and Northern) and five districts, including Anloga, aims to provide funding for local climate adaptation projects that specifically address the needs of women and marginalized groups. The first year of the three-year project will focus on supporting fish farming initiatives in Fluveme and the extension of access to potable water in Agbledomi.
“As climate impacts are local, solutions must be local too,” Lauren emphasized, praising the innovation and resilience demonstrated by rural women. Beyond this SIGRA is also working with the EPA to conduct detailed district climate vulnerability assessments and costed adaptation grants to support the districts to access increased funding for climate adaptation projects beyond SIGRA,” she stated.
The Volta Regional Director for the Department of Gender, Thywill Eyra Kpe also brought attention to the cultural and economic barriers rural women face, particularly in agriculture.
“Many rural women don’t own land due to traditional norms, which restrict their ability to fully benefit from their labour,” she explained.
These women often work as labourers on family farms or farms owned by others, contributing significantly to agricultural production without enjoying full control of the land they cultivate. In addition to land ownership challenges, rural women bear the responsibility of caring for their families while managing farming and other economic activities.
“The dual role of caring for the home and working on the farm or in markets is a heavy burden,” she said, adding that climate change is making these responsibilities even more challenging, particularly as water and food become scarcer.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Anloga, Seth Yormewu took the opportunity to highlight the theme of the event “Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All” as resonating with the values of the community. He lauded rural women for their resilience, noting that they are the backbone of the agricultural sector.
“They are involved in every stage of the food value chain, from selecting seeds to marketing produce. Their work sustains our families and feeds our communities,” he said.
The DCE called for greater investment in the capacity of rural women, noting that empowering them not only ensures food security but also fosters economic growth.
“When we empower rural women, we empower entire communities. It’s our collective responsibility to create an environment where they can thrive,” he concluded.
Strengthening Investments in Gender Responsive Climate Adaptation initiative (SIGRA), is a five-year, 10 million dollar project, funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by Cowater International.
