Ghana

Our impact

Context

Since 2018, Socodevi has been working in Ghana to strengthen the inclusive and sustainable development of agricultural co-operatives. Through structuring projects in the rice and cocoa value chains, the organization supports the empowerment of women and youth, improved co-operative governance, access to markets and financial services, as well as strengthened livelihoods and resilience to climate change. These interventions contribute to sustainably improving the living conditions of co-operative members and their communities.

Objectives and expected results

  • Structure and support a union of co-operatives.
  • Strengthen co-operative governance among women rice parboilers.
  • Transform the cocoa sector.
  • Empower women and youth.
  • Strengthen inclusive governance.
  • Promote financial inclusion, livelihood diversification and entrepreneurship.
  • Improve climate resilience.

Sectors of activity

  • Co-operative development
  • Gender equality
  • Environment and climate resilience
  • Food security
  • Women and youth empowerment
  • Financial inclusion

Results and impacts

Co-operative structuring and governance

  • Creation and support of 3 co-operatives grouped under BBN Co-op, bringing together 1,258 women across 3 districts (PROCED).
  • Structuring and support of 140 co-operative societies and 15 unions in agricultural value chains (TogetHER).
  • Training of all BBN Co-op members in co-operative management, gender equality and environmental best practices (PROCED).
  • 133 government agents and 15 co-operative managers trained on co-operative development, inclusive governance, financial management, group structuring and climate risk reduction (TogetHER).

Access to productive resources and technologies

  • Establishment of a modern rice parboiling processing unit in Bongo, owned by BBN Co-op, including the first color sorter machine in the region, enabling mechanical rather than manual rice sorting (PROCED).
  • Introduction of 500 improved stoves for women members of BBN Co-op, reducing workload and supporting adaptation to climate change (PROCED).
  • Increased access to collective equipment, infrastructure and technologies supporting productivity and sustainability in agricultural activities (PROCED and TogetHER).

Economic and social empowerment of women and youth

  • Significant improvement in the empowerment of women members of BBN Co-op, notably through better access to productive resources, strengthened community leadership and increased participation in the parboiled rice value chain (PROCED).
  • 403 women and young women trained through the Leadership School over a three-year period (TogetHER).
  • Active promotion of women’s leadership and youth inclusion within co-operatives and unions (PROCED and TogetHER).
  • Improved time management for women: direct sales to the co-operative and immediate payment reduced the time spent searching for markets, contributing to a better balance between economic, family and community activities (PROCED).

Climate resilience and sustainability

  • Significant strengthening of resilience to climate and economic shocks through access to adaptation technologies and infrastructure.
  • The proportion of women engaged in rice parboiling with access to climate change adaptation technologies increased from 12% to 100% of the 1,253 women members of BBN Co-op by the end of the PROCED project.
  • Integration of climate risk reduction into training provided to co-operatives, unions and institutional stakeholders (PROCED and TogetHER).

Market access and economic development

  • Access for women members of BBN Co-op to new structured markets, including:
  • supply of parboiled rice to the regional school feeding program,
  • delivery of a first shipment of 50 tonnes of parboiled rice to Accra (PROCED).
  • Improved economic opportunities for co-operatives and unions through value chain structuring and the development of income-generating activities (PROCED and TogetHER).
  • Measurable improvement in the living conditions of BBN Co-op member households, demonstrated by a significant reduction in the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) (PROCED).

Financial inclusion, savings and entrepreneurship

  • Creation of 142 Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) and training of 3,372 members in financial literacy, including 2,368 women and young women (TogetHER).
  • Digitalization of VSLA groups through the introduction of the DreamSave application, strengthening savings group management and financial inclusion (TogetHER).
  • 1,625 women and youth benefiting from the Biakoye special fund, supporting the development of entrepreneurial activities (TogetHER).
  • Development of 15 business plans for co-operative unions related to income-generating activities (maize production, soap making, cassava processing, fish farming, beekeeping, livestock, etc.) (TogetHER).

Testimonials

“Sourcing cocoa seedlings is difficult; we always have to travel very long distances to obtain them. Sometimes, due to transportation challenges, the seedlings arrive weak and cannot withstand the shock of transplanting, so they die off. Thanks to Socodevi, and the establishment of this tree nursery in our community, our future is hopeful because we will no longer face these challenges. Since operations began, the Adansi North co-operative has received an order for 70,000 seedlings, which will generate earnings of 210,000 Ghanaian cedis (approximately CAD $26,500) for the co-operative, to the benefit of its members.”

  • Yaw Afoakwa
    Co-operative Secretary - Adokwai Co-operative Union – Tree nursery

“The establishment of a tree nursery in our community by Socodevi has strengthened unity and togetherness within the community. People now see the value of being part of a co-operative. Through the trainings provided by Socodevi, we have learned a great deal about agriculture, group sustainability, and how to improve our lives and our businesses. Today, we live in harmony and hope, with many positive prospects for the future.”

  • Cecilia Dapaah
    Co-operative member - Adokwai Co-operative Union – Tree nursery

“I was wondering how I would be able to take part in this year’s campaign due to the scarcity of paddy rice (Agra variety) and my limited resources to buy more bags, if not for the intervention of the BBN board in securing a paddy supplier. Their ingenuity made things much easier, as I was able to obtain paddy and participate in the campaign. This is the second time I have parboiled rice for the co-operative, and it has been very helpful, as I no longer have to sit under the sun at the market to sell. I am very happy with their initiative and hope they are able to find more partners to support our co-operative.”

  • Madam Zalisa Karim
    Member of BBN Co-op from the Zabugu community, Bawku zone

Projects in Ghana

TogetHER

Given the increased vulnerability of cocoa-growing communities to economic shocks and climate change, the Women and Cocoa Communities Initiative (TogetHER), led by Socodevi, strengthens the resilience of cocoa-growing families through technical assistance, the establishment of agroforestry systems, and innovative agricultural risk management mechanisms. The project also promotes collective savings, entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion, while contributing […]
  • Funded by:
    Global Affairs Canada
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Partners

Donors and co-financiers

  • Global Affairs Canada
  • COCOBOD
  • Touton
  • Fedco
  • CJ Commodities
  • Department of Cooperatives (DoC)
  • Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA)
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Contact

Ghana Office
Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana,
Near Bolga Girls Senior High, Yikene, PO Box 656,
Bolgatanga
(+233) 382095924

Countries where we operate

Senegal

For more than two decades, Socodevi has been working in the Casamance, Tambacounda, Thiès, Saint-Louis and Sine Saloum regions to strengthen climate resilience, professionalize economic enterprises (co-operatives, economic interest groups), and increase women’s economic empowerment. Interventions combine sustainable and climate-adaptive agricultural practices, Nature-based Solutions (ecosystem restoration and inclusive governance of natural resources), access to financial […]

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Burkina Faso

In Burkina Faso, women, youth, and rural communities face multidimensional challenges driven by climate change, insecurity, natural resource degradation, and persistent inequalities in rights, access to services, and economic opportunities. In the intervention areas, these vulnerabilities particularly affect women and adolescent girls, both in terms of sexual and reproductive health and economic empowerment, as well […]

  • Funded by:
    Global Affairs Canada
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Ethiopia

Located in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia faces significant climate challenges, including drought and rainfall variability. Agriculture accounts for nearly 70% of jobs and remains particularly vulnerable to climate shocks, which heighten food insecurity, especially for female-headed households. Socodevi works in Ethiopia to strengthen the climate resilience of rural and urban women by promoting the […]

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