AGRA Drives Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture


At this year’s International Women’s Day celebration in Accra, Dr. Betty Annan, AGRA Country Director, delivered an impassioned speech highlighting the vital role of women in Africa’s agri-food sector and the urgent need for accelerated action toward their empowerment.

Speaking under the theme “Accelerate Action: For ALL Women and Girls. Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” Dr. Annan underscored the transformative power of investing in women, citing a 2023 FAO report which revealed that equal access to resources could boost women’s farm yields by up to 30%, reducing global hunger by as many as 150 million people.

AGRA’s impact-driven initiatives, such as the VALUE4HER program and the Youth Employment for Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, have already empowered thousands of women across Africa. Over 10,000 women agripreneurs are now leveraging the VALUE4HER platform for training, mentorship, and digital market access, while YEFFA is equipping young women with skills and financing to thrive in agribusiness.

In an exciting development, AGRA officially launched the Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards (WAYA), which offers $300,000 in prize money to female agribusiness leaders. Dr. Annan shared inspiring success stories, including Yemisi Iranloye of Nigeria, who used her winnings to support farmers’ children in education, and Florence Bassono of Burkina Faso, who is mentoring young women in agribusiness.

Despite these strides, challenges persist. Women account for nearly half of Africa’s agricultural workforce but own less than 15% of the land and receive less than 10% of agricultural credit. Dr. Annan called for collective action, urging governments, financial institutions, and development partners to create policies that facilitate women’s access to land, financing, and leadership opportunities.

As the event concluded, Dr. Annan reiterated AGRA’s commitment to championing women in agriculture, stating, “Women are not just beneficiaries of Africa’s agricultural transformation; they are its architects. When we invest in them, we secure Africa’s food future.”

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