The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), with support from the World Food Programme (WFP), has trained 300 young women—mainly school dropouts—in tractor driving and maintenance as part of efforts to boost agricultural productivity and create employment opportunities.

The beneficiaries completed a two-month intensive training programme at the Tamale Technical Institute, where they acquired both practical and technical skills in operating, servicing, and maintaining tractors and other farm machinery.

Each trainee also received a monthly allowance of GHS600 to support their participation throughout the training period.

Speaking on the initiative, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, said the programme forms part of the government’s broader strategy to tackle youth unemployment, increase agricultural mechanisation, and reduce poverty across the country.

He explained that empowering young women with employable skills in farm mechanisation would not only improve their livelihoods but also address labour shortages in the agricultural sector.

According to the Minister, the intervention aligns with efforts to modernise agriculture and make it more attractive to young people, particularly women, while promoting inclusive growth and economic empowerment.

The partnership with the WFP is expected to further strengthen technical capacity and provide opportunities for more young people to access vocational training in agriculture-related fields.