Rural Women’s Engagement in Groundnut Production in the Wa East District, Ghana

In many rural communities, women face barriers to land ownership, access to productive resources such as finance and extension services, and participation in decision-making. These constraints result in the low productivity of women farmers. This study sought to examine the factors influencing women’s engagement in groundnut production and the challenges they face in the Wa East district. The survey data that the study relied on was collected from 240 respondents and analysed using a probit model and Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance. The results revealed that socio-economic, environmental and institutional factors have impact on women’s engagement in groundnut production. More specifically, the age of the farmer, marital status, household size, access to land, and motivation for income significantly influenced women’s engagement in groundnut production. Furthermore, access to credit, climate change, and lack of farm inputs and machinery are the key constraints facing women farmers engaged in the groundnut production enterprise. Policies that minimize these constraints such as the provision of credit facilities, input support schemes, and farmer training on climate change need to be pursued by the department of agriculture, private companies, and non-governmental organizations working in the agricultural sector. This study contributes to the international literature by highlighting the constraints facing rural women in agricultural production and the drivers of inclusion in farming systems.