The Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has introduced an aquaculture training program for women in Kade, Ghana’s Eastern Region.
The initiative provides oil palm farmers with alternative income sources through catfish farming, including practical training and starter kits of fingerlings, feed, and housing equipment.
Participants received instruction in pond management, fingerling selection, and sustainable farming practices from KIC trainers and local agriculture officers. “This training offers new opportunities to support our families during off-seasons,” said participant Rukaya Ahmed. The program emphasizes small-scale, eco-friendly production models accessible to low-resource farmers.
KIC’s Mercy Tuffour explained the gender-focused approach: “We’re equipping women with tools to become economic leaders in their communities.” Executive Director Benjamin Gyan-Kesse added, “Such interventions transform local economies through agricultural innovation.”
The program aligns with Ghana’s efforts to diversify rural livelihoods and strengthen food security, particularly for women who constitute over 50% of the agricultural workforce but face disproportionate income instability.
