Levelling the playing field: tackling inequalities in agrifood systems by investing in women entrepreneurs
FAO and the International Agri-Food Network launch an accelerator mentorship programme to help women agrifood entrepreneurs tackle common challenges and expand their businesses
In recognition of the role that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play in ensuring food security and nutrition and reducing poverty, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Agri-Food Network (IAFN) have launched an Accelerator Mentorship Programme, designed to support women entrepreneurs from SMEs in the agrifood sector.
The programme, which will run from October 2022 to March 2023, was launched during FAO’s Science and Innovation Forum, which highlighted the centrality of science, technology and innovation for agrifood systems transformation. The Accelerator Mentorship Programme was introduced during a session which focused on eliminating inequalities across value chains, a discussion which highlighted challenges that SMEs face in accessing the necessary scientific knowledge and technologies to grow and run their businesses, and offered possible solutions.
Noting that agricultural enterprises are essential for the growth of rural economies and for driving agrifood systems transformation, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO’s Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, welcomed the programme as “an investment in our future” which will enhance the potential of women-led agrifood enterprises in Africa.
The Accelerator Mentorship Programme will offer one-on-one mentorship from experienced women leaders to a selected group of 50 female entrepreneurs who lead or manage agrifood SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa, an area which boasts some of the highest rates of female participation in entrepreneurial activities in the world. These entrepreneurs are a diverse group; they represent 25 different countries in Africa and their work covers the full spectrum of the agrifood value chain, from production, processing, marketing and distribution, to logistics, transport, and digital solutions for agriculture and food systems.
Speaking at the launch of the programme, Fatou Manneh, founder and manager of Jelmah Herbella and the first entrepreneur to run a tea company in the Gambia, described her participation in the Accelerator Mentorship Programme as an opportunity to expand her potential, help her business to grow and to explore opportunities beyond her current horizons. “I want to be a role model to my fellow women in rural Gambia, and also within the community I live in,” she stressed. “If you are ready and willing, mentorship is a chance to tap into opportunities and explore what is available beyond your zone.”
The guidance from mentors will be complemented by online coursework developed by FAO, to deepen skills in business development, marketing and leadership, and a series of expert-led workshops designed to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and networking.
