Coconut trade which was once considered a man job is now a source of economic empowerment for women, to a large extent it’s an opportunity contributing to Ghana’s economic improvement as well as a tool to reduce Gender-based Violence (GBV).
In the bustling Agartha Market in Koforidua, a remarkable transformation is observed as women break barriers and reclaim their economic independence through coconut trade.
On Mondays and Thursdays, which are designated as Market days, you will find 40-year-old Aunty Addai at the Agartha Market in Koforidua in the Eastern part of Ghana together with other women traders, standing by heaps and sacks of coconuts waiting to make sales.
Before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the coconut trade was male-dominated, with men scaling trees to harvest coconuts and dehusk them for sale, however, women like Aunty Addai, who sold seasonal food crops such as cassava and plantains, have discovered the potential in the sale of coconuts than the seasonal foods they used to trade in.
“People are now aware of the health benefits of coconut and so it moves very fast unlike the plantain and cassava I used to trade in, sometimes they go waste, and I lose all my profits.”
Aunty Addai, who is married to a farm labourer with whom she has four children, barely made enough to supplement the family income and meet the expenses of their school-going children.
She recognised the demand for coconuts and the profit potential and shifted her focus to the coconut trade, overcoming her initial fears, she mastered the art of dehusking and found the business more lucrative than selling food crops.
Today, Aunty Addai arrives at the market early in the morning, sells out by midday, and no longer stays all day or worry that her coconuts will spoil by the end of the day compared to when she was selling food crops.
Besides the profit from the sale of 100 pieces of coconut, which ranges from GH¢150-¢300), the husks also fetched her about Gh¢15 per sack which she uses to take care of the transportation.
Such is the story of Ms Kokor Tawiah, another young woman who the coconut trade had provided lifeline to economic empowerment as well as escape from an abusive relationship.
Ms Tawiah, a mother of two, was trading in palm nut oil and other food crops, unfortunately the business collapsed so she was not doing any economic activity making her fully dependent on her husband.
Her grandfather had a lot of coconut trees on his compound “so when a friend introduced me to the coconut business, I negotiated with my uncles to give me the coconuts on credit and pay back after selling and I have not regretted it at all.”
Three-years later, her coconut business has grown, and she engages the services of some young men who plucked the coconut from the tree and load them onto tricycles ready for the market.
“Now I have a local savings bank account, able to provide for myself and support my family and contributes to any community levy for self-help projects” she proudly told GNA.
Coconuts are in high demands globally due to their versatility and health benefits, medical experts say the coconut water and fruits was a good source of natural antioxidant for the immune system which prevents many ailments in humans.
The coconut husk is another product which is an avenue for trading, companies such as Eco-fiber AgroSystems, Fiber Wealth and others use coconut husks to manufacture valuable products such as fibre mats, coconut fibre board, coconut fibre seedling pots, dish scrub pad and coconut fibre cold pressed bicycle seats.
The husk is also used for the base of shoe inner sole pads, foam mattresses, packaging containers, egg carriers, automobile seat linings, hollow blocks, and corrugated roofing sheets.
Economic empowerment of women plays a vital role in combating GBV and UNICEF notes that economic empowerment reduces the need for women to engage in exploitative relationships for financial security. The UN agency also observes that tackling violence in households requires social protection interventions to relieve the financial stress that drives intimate partner violence.
Mrs Juliana Abbey-Quaye, an official at the Ministry of Gender said that women often stayed in abusive relationships because they are dependent on their partners and lack the wherewithal to survive on their own.
“Most women rely on their husbands or partners, and it’s difficult for them to leave even when their lives are seriously threatened,” she said, adding that economic independence would enable women to leave such relationships.
A 2022 publication by the Coalition for Women’s Economic Empowerment and Equality (CWEEE) states that “preventing and responding to gender-based violence is not only an imperative human rights issue, but also a multifaceted economic issue, because GBV creates barriers to economic opportunity and growth, and economic empowerment has an impact on intimate partner violence”.
The coconut trade is rewriting the script for women’s economic empowerment, like Aunty Addai and Teki Tawiah, they have shattered stereotypes and proven they can flourish in non-traditional roles beyond mere financial gains, the coconut trade has enabled these women, to break free from dependency, strengthen their resilience, and stand against gender-based violence.
This transformation is a testament to the power of inclusive economic opportunities. Initiatives that empower women economically create a more just society and contribute to eradicating gender-based violence.
The coconut trade for women, is not just about selling some fruit; it is a symbol of progress, equality, and a future where women are the architects of their destinies.
Source: Access Agric
