By: Linda Dede Nyanya Godji Incoom
The virtual launch of the 2024 Women in Agribusiness Week and Awards was held today, June 21, on the theme “Connecting Women, Connecting African Food Systems.” This year’s event organised by Guzakuza, marks the fifth Women in Agribusiness Week (WAW) celebrations and the third Awards in Series. The launch featured prominent speakers, including Dr. Janet Edeme from the African Union Commission and Paulina Addy from the Ministry of Agriculture’s Women in Agricultural Development Directorate (WIAD).
Dr. Janet Edeme, Head of Rural Development and Agriculture and acting Head of Agriculture and Food Security at the African Union, officially launched the 2024 Women in Agribusiness Week and Awards. She addressed the significance of the week, highlighting the critical role women play in Africa’s agricultural sector.
She noted that women constitute approximately 52% of the agricultural workforce and contribute to the production of 60-70% of the continent’s food. Despite these contributions, women face numerous challenges such as limited access to land, finance, and resources. Dr. Edeme emphasized the need for collective action to create an enabling environment for women in agribusiness.
The African Union’s commitment to gender equality was underscored by Dr. Edeme, who mentioned key policy frameworks such as 2014 Malabo declaration, Agenda 2063 and the African Union Strategy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. She called for increased efforts to empower rural women and promote their participation in agribusiness.
Madam Paulina Addy praised the initiative for its impact on women entrepreneurs, acknowledging the strides made by the Women in Agribusiness Development Directorate. She highlighted the achievements of the Guzakuza initiative, which has groomed numerous women agripreneurs across Africa. Addy also reiterated the Ministry of Agriculture’s support for the initiative and encouraged women to leverage emerging opportunities in the agribusiness sector.
The Lead for Guzakuza, Nana Adjoa Sifa, stated that this year’s event also promises to provide a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and collaboration, aimed at creating a more inclusive and prosperous agribusiness landscape in Africa.
This years event marks the 5th Women in Agribusiness Week (WAW) celebrations and the 3rd Awards in Series. The launch concluded with a call to nominate outstanding women in agribusiness for the 2024 awards. Nominations for various categories will be opened on June 24, 2024, on the Guzakuza website at https://guzakuza.com/.
The Women in Agribusiness Week will take place from October 27th to November 2, 2024.
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