Gender

Women-led agribusiness in Samoa reaches global markets

by Taaloga Apa , Isolina Boto , Chris Addison , Emil Jejov and Osseni Senou

Imagine a small women-led organisation in a remote Pacific island nation supplying products sold in more than 3,000 shops in 66 countries. Women in Business Development Incorporated (WIBDI), a non-profit organisation working with 1,000 farming families in Samoa is doing just that, and much more.

Lovin Kobusingye, the accidental entrepreneur

Sharing actionable knowledge helps to turn ideas into reality. The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) has seen powerful returns from bringing together young entrepreneurial thinkers and doers from all over Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

Marthe Montcho: Blogging for social change

Marthe Montcho started her blog, L’Agriculture au féminin or Women in Farming, in October 2013. Despite initially knowing very little about blogging, she quickly became a success as the blog grew in popularity. Montcho’s desire to fill what she saw as an information gap and empower female farmers, particularly in her home country of Benin, led to her winning the Youth in Agriculture Blog Competition (YoBloCo), organised by CTA in 2014.

Three-dimensional knowledge sharing

Leaving an uninspiring office job, Debora Linga received support from CTA to set-up her own NGO, Tribal Peoples Development in Suriname. Thanks to her Saramaccan tribal origins, she is able to truly apply a participatory approach to development. We caught up with Debora to learn how she is generating lasting impact in her local community and how CTA is involving indigenous people in the development of solutions to the issues they face.

Policies and Partnerships for Nutritious Food Systems in Fiji

CTA and the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organization (PIPSO), in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) held a national workshop in Suva Fiji on 28-29 June on 'Promoting Nutritious Food Systems in the Pacific Islands' within the framework of the ongoing CTA/IFAD/PIPSO project .

Women entrepreneurs: key players in ACP agribusiness development

Research has shown the value of women’s economic empowerment in development programs

How Participatory 3D Modelling has contributed to women's personal development in Madagascar

Rural women in Ampefy and Analavory are emerging from years of years of subordination and passivity, taking charge of their own development and overcoming numerous obstacles to their emancipation. Their key role in regional development is increasingly recognised by the administrative and traditional authorities, development partners and the local community. This article shows how participatory 3-D modelling helps women fulfil their potential.

Outcomes of the 2nd Pacific Agribusiness Forum

The 2nd Pacific Agribusiness Forum on Linking the agrifood sector to the local markets for economic growth and improved food and nutrition security, held in Samoa was organized also as part of the strategic partnership between IFAD, CTA and PIPSO and financed by CTA and IFAD with a number of strategic partners such as the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO). Other organisations provided support (SPC/PAPP, APP Caribbean, Pacific Cooperation Foundation, Samoa Tourism Authority and Samoa Chamber of Commerce & Industry, COLEACP, and IICA).

African women adopt smart solutions for climate change

Climate-smart agriculture practices are helping to counter the devastating conditions faced by farmers in Africa in recent years. Sithembile Ndema Mwamakamba is Programme Manager for the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), a longstanding CTA partner. She explains how women are at the forefront of farmers’ efforts to build resilience to climate change.

Boutique winery bears fruit for Caribbean agripreneur

Convinced of the need for her native Trinidad to diversify its economy, Laura Superville was keen to set up a business based on local produce. The result is a range of wines based on the aroma and taste of tropical fruits, which has opened up a new career path for this young agripreneur, as well as job opportunities for other members of the community.

European Development Days 2017: Entrepreneurial women

CTA will bring successful cases of women entering lucrative markets and expanding businesses to this year’s European Development Days in Brussels. Investing in women entrepreneurs: Enabling women’s economic participation for sustainable growth and rural development is one of four events that CTA is co-organising. It will take place on 8 June as part of the theme on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.

Maria Jackson / St. Lucia: hand-made chocolates in St. Lucia - from the bean to the bar

by Clare Pedrick

Less than a year after launching her own small chocolate making business, St. Lucian entrepreneur Maria Jackson is already thinking of expanding her production base – and moving into agritourism.

Noi Paulina Selepe / Lesotho: Strength in numbers in Lesotho

by Clare Pedrick

When 29-year-old livestock farmer Noi Paulina Selepe launched her agribusiness, she realised it was too small to supply her country’s fast-growing market for chicken meat. Nothing daunted, this enterprising young woman, decided to call on other poultry farmers to join her – increasing overall output and helping her fellow producers to earn extra income in the process.

A voice for women farmers

A farmer herself, Elisabeth Atangana is passionate about the need for effective associations to give a voice to producers and the importance of acknowledging women’s contribution to agriculture. She has been instrumental in shaping the farmers’ movement in her native Cameroon, as well as at regional and continental levels.

Rose’s smart tips for climate change

Rose Kamanga grew up on a farm with her parents, and she now farms a 10-hectare plot in Dika Mhlanga village, northern Malawi. In response to difficulties caused by drought, erratic rainfall and warmer temperatures, she has embarked on a programme to introduce climate-smart practices to her farm, acting on advice from a government agricultural extension worker. In an interview, this mother of two children explains that the results have been well worth the extra effort to her family.

A passion for porcine production

Accounting for 38% of worldwide meat production, pork is attracting a new generation of African entrepreneurs – bucking the continent’s traditional aversion to the meat.

With Sooretul local products are just a click away

An e-commerce platform in Senegal offers agribusinesses and smallholder farmers access to urban clients looking to buy quality local products.

Don’t leave technology to the men

Dr Eleni Gabre-Madhin, CEO and Founder of blueMoon – Ethiopia’s first youth agribusiness incubator – shares her experience as a woman entrepreneur in Africa’s agricultural sector and stresses the importance that agribusinesses ‘think digital’.

Inclusive cassava business grows from strength to strength

by Oluyinka Alawode

Yemisi Iranloye, managing director and CEO of Psaltry International Limited, a large cassava processor based in south-west Nigeria, has built her success on an inclusive business model that places smallholder farmers at the centre of operations.