At the table with Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa: The emotional story of 32-year-old woman farmer with disability

Agrihouse Foundation and its sister company, AgriWatchGH, in partnership with the World Food Forum Ghana Chapter, proudly present the first transcribed episode of its  new public interest programme titled “At the Table with Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa,” To amply the voices and contributions of women farmers and farmers with disabilities in shaping the Agrifood futures in recognition of the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

In this first episode, we bring you an emotional and worth-telling interview with Gifty Nyantsen, a physically challenged farmer from Abura Dunkwa in the Central Region of Ghana, who, despite her disability, is helping shape the future of food and putting food on our tables.

Intro

I am here with a 32-year-old physically challenged cassava and beans farmer in Abura Dunkwa. We are just taking a slow walk to her farm, and when we get there, we will have an interactive discussion with her.

This is At the Table with Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa.

Here, we recognise and highlight the contribution women farmers and women farmers with disabilities are making in shaping and sustaining the agrifood future and agrifood systems. It is inspiring, encouraging, and timely, especially as we recognize 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

Come with us! Join us!

This is all her cassava farm, and so we are going to be here and have our conversation. Since she is down, I’m also going to be down and then have a healthy conversation.

I have been here in Abura Dunkwa, and presently on the farm of a 32-year-old farmer as I indicated. Let me leave her to tell her story.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Gifty Nyantsen! You are welcome
Gifty Nyantsen – Thank you, Madam

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – How are you?
Gifty Nyantsen – I’m good by God’s grace. How are you too?
Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – I’m good by God’s grace

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – So Gifty Nyantsen, what do you plant here?
Gifty Nyantsen – I grow cassava, cocoa, and groundnuts.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – So how many acres of farm do you have here?
Gifty Nyantsen – It’s about four acres.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – It’s amazing! That is impressive. You seem to be very powerful and strong for walking this far to your farm.
Is this how you struggle to get here every day?
Gifty Nyantsen – Yes, exactly

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Don’t you get bitten by insects?
Gifty Nyantsen – Not at all, but sometimes I do get bitten by insects, but I don’t really get worried about that.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – You do not mind! You seem to be very strong
So Gifty Nyantsen, how many years have you been farming?
Gifty Nyantsen – It’s been long. I have been farming for the past two to three years

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Since you started, what work were you doing before venturing into farming?
Gifty Nyantsen – I was a seamstress before coming into farming. I’m no longer active in fashion design after leaving the place I worked and staying with my mother in Abura Dunkwa

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Why did you stop fashion design for farming?
Gifty Nyantsen – I was not passionate about fashion design at a point, so I decided to stop

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Has farming been beneficial to you since you started?
Gifty Nyantsen – Yes, it has been very beneficial

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Can you mention about three benefits to us?
Gifty Nyantsen –  I earn money from selling my farm produce, about GHS 400 to GHS 500 on average, which is helping me with labour services in clearing my farm land

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Is that what you are using to take care of yourself too?
Gifty Nyantsen – Yes, please. I depend solely on it in every area of my life.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – you are very beautiful
Gifty Nyantsen – Thank you

ALBERTA NANA AKYAA AKOSA – Having shared your benefits from farming, you have made me believe that every farmer, whether disabled or not, has the ability to succeed.
GIFTY NYANTSEN – Sometimes people stare at me in surprise, marvel, and appreciate my effort when going to the farm, on the basis that some able-bodied people cannot even do the kind of work I do.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – I’m really inspired… really inspired by you.
So were you born with your condition?
Gifty Nyantsen – No, please. I became ill at the age of seven, and after that I couldn’t walk again.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Were you able to continue your education after that?
Gifty Nyantsen – Yes, I was able to complete JHS but could not further it to SHS.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Gifty Nyantsen, from your 32-year journey, I would like you to share a message of encouragement for others to live by.
Gifty Nyantsen – I would encourage people out there not to judge people based on their situation, not to get discouraged by their circumstances, and to strive to achieve something meaningful.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Do you have a ready market for your farm     produce?
Gifty Nyantsen – Yes, please. I even process some of my cassava into gari during times when I get a bountiful harvest.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – That’s very impressive. You are very powerful and industrious! So you process cassava into gari too?
Gifty Nyantsen – “I’m supernatural.”

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – So have extension officers been visiting your farm?

Gifty Nyantsen – They were here last month to register our names at the district agric office, but we are yet to hear from them since then. They even stationed at the Abura Dunkwa Education Office, but we have not heard from them again despite taking my contact details.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – So are you only using cutlass as a farming tool?
Gifty Nyantsen – Yes, it is just the cutlass

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Don’t you have any machine to be using?
Gifty Nyantsen – No.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – So how then do you process your gari?
Gifty Nyantsen – I take the cassava to someone’s machine because I don’t have one myself.

Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa – Would you like to have one?
Gifty Nyantsen – Yes, please.

OUTRO – ALBERTA NANA AKYAA AKOSA

We are in 2026, the International Year of the Woman Farmer. Agrihouse Foundation is recognising and highlighting the role that these vital, amazing, and extraordinary women are playing in sustaining us and putting food on our tables. They really need our support, they need to be celebrated, and they need to be applauded.

Indeed, cheers! Cheers to all the women farmers and women farmers with disabilities who are nourishing our nation. You are the heart of the farm; you are the seed and soul of agriculture; you are the gold in the soil. Your work is making impact, it is inspiring us, and your impact is very laudable.

This is At the Table with Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa. Thank you.

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