Faustina Sakyi – The Ghanaian Cassava farmer who turned her world around Written by smallst

GHANA –
Faustina was born into a poor family that had to live
off the land by farming cassava tubers which were
primarily used as food. Now in her 40s, she has built
an incredible business from cassava which she
processes into gari – a very popular staple in West
Africa. Her product is sold within and beyond the
borders of Ghana, including Mali, Niger and Nigeria.
In her drive to make a different and brighter future for her kids, this
mother of three set out to organize fellow women in her
community who were unemployed and needed a sustainable
source of income. With over 30 women recruited on her team and
a bank loan of 3,400 Ghana Cedis ($1,700), Faustina started her
rural cassava processing business.
She used the loan capital to support these women to plant cassava
on their land, while she bought the harvested cassava tubers from
them. This ‘everybody wins’ model allowed Faustina to have a
steady and loyal supply of cassava which she processed into gari
while the women farmers earned a decent living for themselves.
Faustina's account of her humble beginnings and astounding
success as a Cassava and Gari producer (credit: IFAD.org )
Using modern cassava processing equipment she purchased with
the loan and cheap labour within her rural community, Faustina’s
business produces nearly 20 tonnes of gari every week. The
produced gari is packaged in 150 kilogram bags and sold at 90
Cedis ($50) per bag.
With a business that earns her nearly $100,000 every year,
Faustina has fulfilled her dream of financial independence and can
afford fees for the private school her children attend.
The quality of her products has won her several local and
international awards and certifications that make her a highly
sought after cassava farmer and producer. She currently uses her
amazing story and experience to inspire hundreds of rural women
who can benefit from the enormous potentials of cassava
production.
She currently sits on the steering committee of the Root and Tuber
Improvement and Marketing program funded by the International
Fund for Agricultural Development. Faustina still aspires to
become the biggest and best Cassava processor in the whole of
Ghana.
Are you one of those who think your gender, educational or social
background is a reasonable excuse not to start your own
business? We hop Faustina’s incredible story has jolted your
reality.
Is there a common product in your environment, like cassava, that
can repackaged or innovated around? What are you doing about it?