Building opportunities for women in southern Ghana

Women are at the heart of agricultural production in southern Ghana. Through its flagship porgramme Women in Agriculture for Growth and Impact Initiative (WAGII), SetSen Innovation Hub equips women with the skills and knowledge to build sustainable livelihoods. Together with PUM expert Anne Heleen Bijl, the organisation strengthened its leadership, systems and programmes to increase its long-term impact.

Across Ghana, innovation hubs have become important drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship and community development. Yet the Anlo area in the Volta Region had largely been left behind. To address this gap, the Women in Agriculture for Growth and Impact Initiative (WAGII) was established as a cooperative supporting women through agriculture and agribusiness. Over time, the organisation will evolve into SetSen Innovation Hub, with WAGII as its flagship programme.

Kpodo GOdwin Yao Setsoafia, co-founder of SetSen Innovation Hub explains: “Our primary focus is agriculture and agribusiness as pathways to sustainable livelihoods and economic growth. WAGII empowers women farmers, particularly young women, through skills training, value addition, and enterprise development. A key intervention is training women in tomato puree production to reduce post-harvest losses while creating sustainable income-generating opportunities.”

As the organisation continued to grow, its leadership recognised the need to strengthen its management, programmes and organisational systems to maximise long-term impact.

Building capacity from strategy to practice 

SetSen approached PUM for expert guidance to strengthen the management of the organisation and support the effective implementation of its programmes. Together with the leadership team, PUM expert Anne Heleen Bijl assessed the organisation’s implementation structure and identified opportunities to improve programme effectiveness. The project focused on strengthening leadership and management capacity, increasing women’s participation, improving monitoring and evaluation, and developing stronger governance and strategic planning.

At the same time, the collaboration remained firmly connected to daily practice. Anne Heleen worked with WAGII and other women’s farming groups, including the Edudzi Group and Tsormenyo Group, delivering practical workshops on subjects like creative thinking, leadership, communication, and sales techniques.

The project also addressed practical challenges within the tomato puree production process, including packaging quality, production methods and marketing.

Strengthening communities through stronger organisations

The collaboration has strengthened both SetSen Innovation Hub and its flagship programme WAGII. More than 700 women gained practical knowledge and skills that strengthen problem-solving, teamwork and leadership. The organisational assessment also resulted in clear recommendations for improved governance, strategic planning, operational systems and the transition from WAGII towards SetSen Innovation Hub.

Beyond the organisation itself, the project generated growing interest among neighbouring communities. SetSen has already mobilised another 500 young women to participate in upcoming programmes, expanding opportunities for women across the region.

By strengthening both people and the organisation behind them, the project contributes to innovation, sustainable agriculture and long-term economic empowerment for women in southern Ghana.