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| # | Post Title | Result Info | Date | User | Forum |
| Empowering Youth and Women in Agriculture: A Journey in Research and Practice | 9 Relevance | 6 months ago | Landan | Introduce Yourself | |
| My name is Landry C Iradukunda, a male agripreneur and Research Consultant based in Burundi. I am the Founder and CEO of SOTRAPROCOM, an organization working at the intersection of agriculture, rural development, and Youth empowerment. I am also a Youth Representative with the World Food Forum (WFF), where I contribute to global dialogues on sustainable food systems and Youth inclusion. Academically, I hold a Master’s degree in Agriculture and an Honors degree in Rural Development, complemented by a Bachelor of Business Administration. My research has focus ... | |||||
| RE: South-South Series: Climate-Resilient Business Models for Women Entrepreneurs | 3 Relevance | 2 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Women empowerment | |
| ... who are located in Jamaica and are trying to rebuild/recover? The key advice for Caribbean Women who want to support Women in agriculture in Jamaica is to ensure their assistance is coordinated through legitimate channels, such as the government, to reach those in remote or affected communities effectively. Direct donations or informal distribution can miss the most vulnerable areas. Additionally, Women farmers are encouraged to shift their mindset from “hustling to survive” to running formal businesses, applying the discipline and practices of business ow ... | |||||
| RE: South-South Series: Access to Finance for Women-led MSMEs | 2 Relevance | 3 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Women empowerment | |
| Following last week’s webinar on access to finance for Women-led MSMEs, we’ve compiled a summary of the questions asked by participants and the answers provided by the panellists. Below you’ll find key insights from Cecilia Lazarte - Inclusive Financial Ecosystem Project Lead, UN Women, Argentina. How can rural Women in the DRC benefit from this knowledge, especially in areas without banks or technical/financial partners? The proposed tool aims to transform the financial ecosystem itself, rather than rely on traditional institutions. It focuses on designing financial products with empathy for Women’s specific needs, and fostering meaningful partnerships and networks to support rural Women entrepreneurs. This approach allows Women in remote areas to access relevant financial solutions even without traditional banks nearby. What are the main obstacles between Women and men in accessing financial systems, and can you give examples of Women overcoming these barriers? Obstacles stem from societal beliefs that Women have primary care responsibilities, limiting their productive roles. Financial systems often reinforce these biases. Successful Women entrepreneurs challenge these norms by asserting their capacity to run businesses, and by engaging with financial systems that evaluate their business potential rather than gender. This helps shift perceptions of Women’s economic participation and promotes gender-inclusive financial access. We warmly thank Cecilia for taking the time to share these insights. | |||||
| The Nut Place: Where healthy food meets women’s empowerment | 2 Relevance | 5 months ago | The Nut Place | Women empowerment | |
| Hi! I’m Chigozie Bashua, founder and CEO of The Nut Place, a Nigerian food tech company I started out of my mother’s kitchen after a trip to the UK opened my eyes to what was possible with indigenous nuts. I left a 14-year career in tech to build something different: a business rooted in innovation, nutrition, and impact. At The Nut Place, we process locally sourced nuts into healthy, gluten-free flours, snacks, and beverages — products that support people with dietary needs like gluten intolerance, diabetes and other dietary health needs. But we are not just making food, we are using food as a tool for change. By producing nut flours, snacks, and dairy alternatives, we address the growing demand for healthy food among diabetics, people with gluten intolerance, and health-conscious consumers. We also promote sustainability by reducing food waste—repurposing by-products into animal feed, briquettes and even fashion accessories. Here’s how we empower Women through our work: 80% of our workforce is Women — from sourcing to processing to sales. We actively engage and train Women across the agri-processing value chain. We create economic opportunities for female farmers, vendors, and artisans, especially in underserved communities. We promote circular economy practices by repurposing nut by-products like flour chaff to animal feed, coconut shells into craft materials, supporting local Women creatives. We use digital tools to educate communities (especially Women) about healthy eating and provide affordable access to nutritious food. I believe that when Women are economically empowered, communities thrive. That’s why gender inclusion isn’t just a value at The Nut Place, it’s a core part of our business model. Through programs like The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC), Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), AWP Network, Vital Voices, and WE4A, I’ve had the privilege to grow as a leader and connect with other incredible Women driving change across Africa and beyond. By 2030, I want The Nut Place to be Africa’s leading producer and exporter of nut-based foods. But more importantly, I want us to be known for how we did it, by empowering Women, promoting health and building a business that puts purpose before profit. To any woman building something meaningful: keep going. What’s worth doing is worth doing well. | |||||
| South-South Series: Access to Finance for Women-led MSMEs | 2 Relevance | 3 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Women empowerment | |
| The 5th session of the South-South Series: Empowering and Growing Women-led Business will focus on Access to Finance for Women-led MSMEs and will be held on Wednesday 22nd of October - 14h-16h UTC. Women-led MSMEs represent about 35% of MSMEs in developing markets and are vital for economic growth, yet they face slower expansion due to limited access to finance, institutional barriers, and concentration in low-growth sectors. Despite global progress in financial inclusion, Women remain less likely than men to engage with financial institutions, with a persistent 9-point gender gap in account ownership. Their businesses are often smaller, more informal, and clustered in consumer-oriented or “women’s” sectors, reflecting social norms, limited collateral, and heavy household responsibilities. Expanding Women’s access to finance and integrating them into formal financial networks could significantly boost productivity and growth, and empower Women in all areas. Participants will gain firsthand perspectives by directly hearing from experienced entrepreneurs and experts in the field of access to finance. They will discover practical insights into innovative financial solutions, learn strategies to overcome common barriers, and explore networks that can help them secure capital, grow their businesses, and strengthen their leadership skills. More information can be found on this page of Agrinnovators (programme, biodata, etc): Registration link: | |||||
| Calling Asia-Pacific innovators: Build green, data-driven, AI-enabled climate solutions | 2 Relevance | 2 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Women empowerment | |
| ... Data literacy for climate action No-code tools (Google Sheets, Web GIS, Teachable Machine, Custom GPTs) Ethical, gender-responsive AI practices Project management & green entrepreneurship Skills to design, validate and pitch climate-impact projects or business models Ideal if you’re building or exploring climate-tech, civic-tech, sustainability solutions, or purpose-driven ventures. 👥 Who it’s for Young people 15–34 in the Asia–Pacific region: Aspiring entrepreneurs, activists, students, early-career professionals Strong ... | |||||
| South-South Series: Climate-Resilient Business Models for Women Entrepreneurs | 2 Relevance | 2 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Women empowerment | |
| The 6th session of the South-South Series: Empowering and Growing Women-led Business will focus onClimate-Resilient Business Models for Women Entrepreneurs and will be held on Wednesday 26th of November - 14h-16h UTC. Supporting climate-resilient business models for Women entrepreneurs is essential for equitable and sustainable development. Women-led ventures, particularly in agriculture, renewable energy, crafts, and local services, are uniquely positioned to develop innovative solutions at the climate–gender nexus, reducing vulnerability while generating income. However, systemic barriers, including limited access to credit, markets, training, infrastructure, and legal rights, often constrain their ability to adopt resilient practices or recover from shocks. Direct investment in Women’s capacity, through climate finance, training in sustainable methods, mentorship, market linkages, and enabling policies, can empower Women as change agents and strengthen community resilience more broadly. Participants will gain practical insights at the intersection of gender, entrepreneurship, and climate resilience, learn evidence -based strategies to grow and adapt their enterprises, and explore tools and approaches for building sustainable, climate -ready business models in Africa and the Caribbean. More information can be found on this page of Agrinnovators (programme, biodata, etc): Registration link: | |||||
| South-South Series - Power in Connexion: Collaborating & Networking for Women's Business Growth | 2 Relevance | 6 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Women empowerment | |
| The South-South Series: Empowering and Growing Women-led Business organised by UN Women and COLEAD is specifically designed for Women entrepreneurs and business leaders, providing a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, skill enhancement, market access, and networking opportunities. Session n°3 was held on the 21st of May 2025 and focused on Power in Connexion: Collaborating & Networking for Women's Business Growth. The session featured five accomplished Women leaders from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. They shared insights into their business networks supporting Women entrepreneurs. The event drew significant global interest with 560 registered from various continents. Watch the recordings of the session in English, French and Spanish. More information about this session: | |||||
| Rural women platform for Latin America and the Caribbean | 2 Relevance | 5 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Women empowerment | |
| The FAO has launched a Regional Platform for the empowerment of Rural Women to strengthen the rights, leadership, and capacities of rural, Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and young Women in Latin America and the Caribbean. Developed under the Rural Women’s empowerment and Environmental Sustainability Acceleration Programme and the “Rural Women, Women with Rights” campaign, the platform uses gender-transformative and intersectional approaches to guide inclusive, evidence-based policies addressing systemic challenges in rural areas. It offers five main features: Good practices repository Technical library with policy resources and tools News and updates on rural gender issues Free training courses via FAO Campus Regional coordination events, including the campaign’s official site FAO leaders emphasize its role in advancing just, sustainable, and resilient agrifood systems and supporting commitments toward the International Year of Women Farmers (2026). The initiative aligns with SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger), and 5 (Gender Equality) by linking rural Women’s empowerment to food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate change action. The platform is publicly available in Spanish and English at www.fao.org/gender/americas/en. | |||||
| RE: South-South Series: Climate-Resilient Business Models for Women Entrepreneurs | 2 Relevance | 2 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Women empowerment | |
| Thank you to everyone who participated in last week's webinar! The sixth session of the South-South Series focused on Climate-Resilient Business Models for Women Entrepreneurs. The session held on the 26th of November 2025 was a success! It attracted a great interest from all regions in the world. 330 persons registered to the session and accessed all information. Moderated by Alonso Bobes, Program Associate at UN Women Caribbean, and opened by Jeremy Knops, General Delegate, COLEAD, and Angela Davis, Program Specialist at UN Women Caribbean, the session featured four accomplished Women leaders from Africa and the Caribbean. They shared their experiences in building and supporting climate-resilience business models. The interactive Q&A session fostered an engaging dialogue between participants and speakers. Finally, Nina Desanlis-Perrin, Project Officer at COLEAD, outlined the key points and the next steps and opportunities for continued collaboration. Find all information related to this session, including recordings, powerpoint presentations and highlights here: | |||||
| UN Women-COLEAD South South Serie: Launch! | 2 Relevance | 6 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Women empowerment | |
| About the collaboration UN Women and COLEAD The collaboration between UN Women and COLEAD focuses on empowering Women entrepreneurs in the African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries and beyond. The South-South online series is specifically designed for Women entrepreneurs and business leaders, providing a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, skill enhancement, market access, and networking opportunities. You can access the flyer here in English and in French. Launch of the South South Series: empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs The inaugural session of the South-South Series was focused on empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs: Strategies for building confidence, leadership skills, and overcoming gender bias. The session held on 19th February 2025 was a success! The session attracted a great interest from all regions in the world: 776 participants registered to be involved in the initiative and receive the information and recording. On the day of the event, 297 participants followed the session live with the majority coming from the Caribbean (28%) and from West Africa (36%). More information about this session here: | |||||
| RE: South-South Series: Access to Finance for Women-led MSMEs | 2 Relevance | 3 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Women empowerment | |
| Following last week’s webinar on access to finance for Women-led MSMEs, we’ve compiled a summary of the questions asked by participants and the answers provided by the panellists. Below you’ll find key insights from Michelle Mboha - Investment Manager, Inua Capital, Uganda. How do you ensure financial instruments integrate financial literacy, especially among risk-averse rural Women entrepreneurs? Before investing, at Inua Capital we invest heavily in education and financial literacy. In the first 90 days of investment, entrepreneurs receive hands-on training on core business finance concepts like revenue, cost of goods, gross profit, and net profit. They are supported by technical assistance providers, sometimes for up to a year or more, to ensure they fully understand their business finances. Legal support is also provided to ensure they understand agreements before signing. How does low land ownership by Women affect their access to finance, and is this a problem in other countries? Low land ownership is one factor contributing to Women receiving a small proportion of financing. In Uganda, less than 20% of loans from formal financial institutions go to Women-owned businesses, and less than 5% of private equity capital reaches them. This is a widespread issue across Africa, not unique to Uganda. How can someone in Togo access this kind of funding? Inua Capital is part of a network of impact funds called Investisseurs & Partenaires, active in Francophone Africa (e.g., Burkina Faso, Senegal, Cameroon). While direct investments in Togo require verification, the network offers similar investment approaches across its 10 funds, which are listed on their website. The network emphasizes innovative collateral approaches and impact-focused investment strategies. We warmly thank Michelle for taking the time to share these insights. | |||||
| Seaweed farming in Latin America and the Caribbean grew 66% between 2013 and 2023 | 2 Relevance | 4 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Climate Resilience | |
| ... boosting coastal livelihoods and blue economies. Key points: Production leaders: Brazil, Chile, and Venezuela account for over 90% of regional output, mainly of Gracilaria spp. and Kappaphycus alvarezii. Challenges: Biosecurity risks, climate change, pollution, and weak regulatory frameworks. Opportunities: Diversifying species, expanding markets, using AI and biotechnology, and adopting integrated or restorative aquaculture models. Social impact: Seaweed farming can empower Women and Youth, strengthen community-based approaches, and provide decent jobs. ... | |||||
| RE: South-South Series: Access to Finance for Women-led MSMEs | 2 Relevance | 3 months ago | Nina Desanlis-Perrin | Women empowerment | |
| Following last week’s webinar on access to finance for Women-led MSMEs, we’ve compiled a summary of the questions asked by participants and the answers provided by the panellists. Below you’ll find key insights from Edna Odallo - Managing Director, Afriscope Research, Kenya. Can Women in the Caribbean access these transformative financing solutions, or can they be adapted locally? Yes, these financing models can be replicated in the Caribbean and globally, but they must be adapted to fit the local context. The same impact financiers who operate in other regions (e.g., Africa) can support projects in the Caribbean. Enterprises can tailor their strategies to highlight the social, economic, or climate impact of their business to attract financing. Can you clarify the role of knowledge development and academia in supporting these solutions? Academia plays a critical role in providing research, data, and insights that support evidence-based decision-making. Academic knowledge helps enterprises understand markets, comply with standards, and boost investor confidence. It also informs government policies and guides development partners on best practices. For Women entrepreneurs, what mindset and preparation are most important when approaching investors? For us as enterprise support organizations, we empower Women with knowledge and help them gain confidence in their businesses so they can stand and speak for themselves. We guide them not only as business advisers but also through softer skills, such as how to approach financial institutions. We support them throughout the financing journey—from submitting applications to receiving term sheets—and even help them negotiate terms. Often, showing a woman entrepreneur the process just once is enough for her to take it forward independently. It’s really about building their capacity to succeed. We warmly thank Edna for taking the time to share these insights. | |||||
| RE: Climate resilience | 2 Relevance | 1 year ago | Getaneh | Climate Resilience | |
| Following our discussion on ‘’resilience’’ I am forwarding my draft paper, titled: Economic empowerment of Rural Women? Make Sure that She has Safe Control of Income: Harvest Time Savings Abstract: To build the ''resilience'' of rural households, experts in the sector have for long been promoting savings which also ensures Women's control of income, and ultimate empowerment (especially at household level)....Despite high level global advocacy for expanding access to micro-credit for (rural) Women as the most effective way of Women's economic empowerment, there are growing evidences suggesting that in patriarchal communities this can also end up being counterproductive (often giving rise to Intimate Partner Violence, etc), and many Women become reluctant to apply for such credit (even when services are available nearby -- and easily accessible) if they are not sure of exercising full control of such a credit and the income from the credit-financed business through, for example, tailored saving services....For Women in rural areas of Africa who are often highly engaged in farming, acting on the human behavior of target groups, such as tailoring promotion on savings, identifying ''teachable moments'' when such Women enjoy relatively high volumes of cash (such as during sale of crops, livestock, etc) can have significant positive impact.... Indeed, the ruralfinance sector (both MFIs, SACCOs, VLSAs, etc models) can also more effectively utilize their leverage of mobilizing rural households to facilitate gender dialogues, promote more trust and collaboration among couples, implementing household methodologies (e.g the Gender Action Learning System, GALS)....etc... Unfortunately, such issues have been given very little attention so far in the sector, and institutions face pervasive capacity challenges.... The attached paper summarizes findings from a comprehensive research and offers practical recommendations for actors involved in the sector.... Thus the first chapter presents a very comprehensive background on why savings services are relevant and feasible for vulnerable rural households and especially for empowering Women in patriarchal system; the second chapter analyses the huge scope for harvest time saving; and the last chapter offers effective, practical recommendations on proper promotion and communication. | |||||
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