Liberalisation of Maize Procurement in Ghana & Implications on Women Economic Empowerment

Overview

Ghanaís domestic maize trade is largely dependent on a network of private women traders who dominate the local and regional markets while larger groups of wholesalers engage in spatial arbitrage across regions/districts. These women traders are referred to as ëMarket Queensí (MQs). The study presents analysis of liberalisation of maize procurement in Ghana and implication on womenís economic empowerment. Specifically, the study examined the activities of MQs and their contribution towards womenís economic empowerment and employment opportunities, price setting mechanisms, types of support provided by MQs to the farmers, support of the state and perception of MQs on the effect of the introduction of the commodity exchange in Ghana.