About 25 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the agriculture sector have undergone training in agricultural technology to strengthen their businesses and promote greater inclusion.
The participants formed the first cohort of a programme organised by EmpowerAbility Organisation, a non-profit organisation, in partnership with the E4Impact Entrepreneurship Centre, Ghana, with support from Vert Tower.
The one-day training, held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) last Friday, equipped the participants with skills in developing a business model canvas, a one-page document outlining how a business operates.
They were also taken through the agricultural value chain and the opportunities it offered.
The programme, held on the theme: ‘Agri-Tech without Borders,’ attracted participants from across the country.
Speaking to the media, the Executive Director of EmpowerAbility Organisation, Mr Joseph Lawrence Hammond, underscored the need to empower PWDs to become Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of their own businesses.
He said although PWDs often received grants and other financial support from organisations, such assistance alone was not enough to sustain their businesses.
He said they also needed digital and technical skills to build and manage viable enterprises.
“Most of PWDs focus on the charitable model, but we are saying that we want you to be your own CEO. It is not about going for money and support from organisations,” Mr Hammond said.
He noted that the organisation and its partners planned to connect the participants to local and international markets by promoting their businesses on an online platform.
Mr Hammond added that participants who did not have the required certification would be supported to obtain them through collaboration with the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and other regulatory agencies.
He said the organisation’s research and monitoring team would also track the progress of the participants’ businesses over the next three months.
Mr Hammond further urged the government to expedite the amendment of the Disability Act to reflect the changing digital landscape and promote greater inclusion.
The Head of Information Technology and Digital Projects at the National Council on Persons with Disabilities, Mr Ishmael Genyah, acknowledged the systemic barriers confronting PWDs across various sectors, including agriculture.
He, however, expressed optimism that the PWDs Bill, currently before Cabinet for consideration and approval, would address those barriers and enhance inclusion when passed into law.
The Co-Founder of Vert Tower, Ms Jennifer Oppong-Danquah, said the partnership with EmpowerAbility Organisation would also equip participants with skills to grow food at home without necessarily owning land.
She called for increased investment in PWDs to enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development.
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
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