Alliance for Green Revolution Africa (AGRA) in partnership with Fresh Produce Consortium have embarked on a programme to empower women in the agribusiness sector through the provision of financial and knowledge expertise.
According to AGRA, women represent 50 percent of the agricultural labour force and 70 percent of production in Africa but are still under represented as agribusiness leaders, a need that has made AGRA to step up and give a voice to the female gender.
A specialist for Women Entrepreneurship in Agriculture at AGRA Jacqueline Chepkoech said the Alliance for Green Revolution Africa wants to work with smallholder farmers to increase their resilience and to contribute to agro-food systems in a way that they would benefit and businesses they undertake are sustainable to the environment.
“AGRA’s interest is to develop inclusive markets, trade and finance markets,” she stated, adding that the Alliance for Green Revolution Africa’s mission’s aim was to catalyze the growth of sustainable agriculture in Africa which was being done through partnerships.
Chepkoech who was speaking at the Women in Agribusiness Forum 2024 at a Nairobi hotel urged women across the globe to join AGRA through the Value4Her platform, which is free and accessible to all for a better and sustainable food-growing system in Africa.
AGRA aims at contributing to an inclusive agricultural transformation across Africa, reduce hunger, improve nutrition and adapt to climate change, she said.
The Agri-business Forum, 2024 brought together women-leaders, entrepreneurs and stakeholders in the agribusiness sector to discuss challenges, share success stories and explore opportunities for growth and collaboration.
AGRA Kenya Country Director John Macharia noted that 80 percent of the labour in agriculture in Kenya is provided by women, and assured that the Alliance would be responsive to the policy issues affecting women in agribusiness.
Speaking at the forum today, the Chief Executive Officer of Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) Mr. Okisegere Ojepat said the Value4Her platform provided a road map that is practical, and traceable, noting that the Consortium would track the changes and development done on the platform.
Value4Her platform under AGRA’s continental initiative has set aside certain objectives which include building competitive assets and capabilities, developing marketing linkages, shaping policies and advocacy for women agri-preneur to aid farmers improve their businesses.
The platform offers a Women2women Supply Chain Program, grants and credit opportunities to anchor women business build out supply chains women-owned microenterprises in their ecosystems.
It will also facilitate networking and advocacy through the digital platform and access to finance programmes, provide women with knowledge, skills and tools to grow and scale their businesses.
By Imbiakha Phanice and Rebecca Kibegwa
