Uncommon practices by women in agriculture is surfacing in the 21st century with women doing new things in the area. In relation to this, licenced tractor operator and tutor at the Damongo Agricultural College, Bedu Mary is  all prepared to train many more females in tractor operations.

According to Madam Mary, she was part of 180 women  who were trained by the Agriculture Technical Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) across the country. This training however was targeted at only literate women.

Bedu Mary has since been training male operators on tractor maintenance as mechanization is key in agricultural business. She also trains extension service agents to help enhance their service delivery at the various farms they offer services.

The female tractor specialist disclosed that, her main focus now is to train unlettered women specifically in Damongo and the five regions of the North.

Bedu Mary and her trainees

“Countrywise communication has given me some exposure and after attending the harmattan awards ceremony, some people have expressed interest in sponsoring me. So the project will kickstart in August 2020, but I’m appealing for more sponsorship”, Bedu Mary stated.

According to Mary, she was motivated to go into tractor operation due to the neglect of female farmers during ploughing on farms that belong to their male counterparts. This, she says, affects the yield of female farmers negatively at the end of the farming season.

Bedu Mary

She however indicated that, she does not plough on commercial basis due to her job at the Agric College. She therefore believes that imparting her knowledge to others is paramount to realizing her dream of empowering women in agriculture.

By: Salifu Wononuo for www.mymediaafric.com