Paving the way towards greater gender equality in the Adum oil palm landscape in Ghana’s Western Region

This case study explores how Partnerships for Forests (P4F) supported the Adum Smallholder Oil Palm Project to take on a gendered approach, responding to gender differences and inequalities in Ghana’s oil palm sector.

In the project, which seeks to improve livelihoods and empower communities whilst securing a sustainable, deforestation-free palm oil supply for the Benso Oil Palm Plantation (BOPP), BOPP and project partners have been implementing targeted measures to advance gender inclusion and gender-sensitive capacity building and benefit-sharing amongst target communities. These activities fall into three main categories: (1) promoting greater female representation and participation in community decision-making bodies; (2) targeting female entrepreneurs in the provision of alternative livelihoods; and (3) including specific gender criteria and targets for the allocation of palm oil smallholder plantations.

Early results from these activities indicate that the three-pronged approach is not only proving successful in providing greater opportunities for women in the communities, but also for raising their status and empowering them to have greater leadership in community decision-making, which can in turn provide an important channel through which measures to ensure greater gender equality can be championed and supported.


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