Ghana trains 300 young women in tractor driving to boost agriculture, cut unemployment

Three hundred young women — most of them school dropouts — have graduated from a two-month tractor driving and maintenance programme aimed at tackling unemployment and modernising Ghana’s agricultural sector.

The training, organised by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture with support from the World Food Programme, took place at the Tamale Technical Institute. Each trainee received a monthly allowance of GH₵600.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Minister for Food and Agriculture Hon. Eric Opoku said the initiative forms part of broader government efforts to create jobs, boost agricultural productivity and reduce poverty, particularly among marginalised young women.

“These young women are not just learning to drive tractors — they are being equipped with skills that position them as agents of change in their communities,” Opoku said.

Participants underwent both theoretical and hands-on instruction in tractor operation, basic engine mechanics, routine maintenance and safety protocols. The programme also included sessions on financial literacy and entrepreneurship to support the trainees in securing employment or starting their own agribusiness ventures.

Organisers say the training addresses a longstanding gender gap in Ghana’s mechanised agriculture sector, where women have historically been underrepresented in technical roles.

The World Food Programme described the initiative as a model for inclusive skills development. A country representative said the organisation is committed to supporting programmes that empower young women and strengthen food systems across the country.

Graduates will receive support with job placement and access to agricultural mechanisation centres, where they can offer tractor-hire services to local farmers.

The training is part of a wider push by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to expand mechanised farming and attract young people into agriculture as a viable livelihood.