Vinolia Emma Zigah, a Ghanaian farmer and businesswoman based in Agbogba, has proven that farming is truly “gold in the soil.” She is the founder and CEO of Vinolia Wealth Enterprise and JV Naturals Cosmetics, ventures that focus on crop production, cassava processing, and the creation of local food and natural products.
Vinolia cultivates cassava, groundnuts, beans, yam, and maize on her farms. After completing school, she searched for a decent job but found it difficult to settle. Her uncle, a farmer in Bimbilla, often asked for financial support, which made her curious about farming. She decided to visit him and learn more about the business.
“When I got to Bimbilla, I realized most farmers suffered from post-harvest losses. They had plenty of grains and tubers but couldn’t afford laborers to harvest them,” she recalled. “So I started helping farmers by finding workers to harvest and collect their produce. That’s how my agribusiness journey began.”
At the time, she was struggling to care for her child, so she paused her agripreneur work for a while. Later, with the support of her mother, she returned to farming, this time in the Western Region, where she gave people cassava cuttings to start their own farms. “That was how it all started again,” she said.
Her first cassava harvest was a success, with customers in Accra showing great interest in her products. In 2010, she officially registered her company, focusing on high-yield cassava varieties used for flour, gari, and food processing. Today, she operates about five acres of farmland, producing cereals, fruits, and vegetables alongside cassava.
Under Vinolia Wealth Enterprise, she processes a wide range of products including:
Cassava-based foods such as gari, konkonte, and savioka
Cocoa mix, brown sugar, and spices
Herbal teas and non-dairy cocoa blends
Though her production is not yet at full export scale, her products are sold locally and have attracted buyers who export them internationally. She is also a member of GEPA (Ghana Export Promotion Authority), which provides her with business support.
“Farming has given me stability,” she shared. “It helped me secure a place to live and acquire farming machines. I currently employ 24 workers.”
Vinolia believes that youth participation in agriculture is the key to Ghana’s future. “If the youth don’t get involved in farming, we’ll struggle with food shortages in the future. But if they join now, we’ll have more produce and a stronger economy,” she said.
She also encourages young farmers to seek partnerships and training programs such as those offered by Mastercard Foundation, which equip entrepreneurs with the right tools and skills for agribusiness.
“People think farming is for the poor or uneducated — but that’s not true,” she emphasized. “Farming is a business that brings wealth, dignity, and opportunity. I started from scratch, and today I run a successful enterprise. Truly, farming is gold in the soil.”
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