Tropentag 2020, September 9 - 11, virtual conference, Germany "Food and nutrition security and its resilience to global crises"

Contribution of African Women Entrepreneur in the Development of the Agriculture and Food Industry

¹Adili African Vegetables Processing Unit, Entrepreneur, Togo
²Labo Consulting Afrique, Ivory Coast
³Tatam Cereales, Mali
⁴own start-up Development in Biological Control Sector, Tunisia
⁵own start-up Development Potato Processing, Tunisia

Abstract

For centuries, agriculture has driven economic growth in countries across the globe, and African nations are following the same path out of poverty. Agribusiness plays a vital role in economic development, contributing a major portion of GDP, employment, and foreign exchange earnings in Africa, where agriculture accounts for 25 percent of the continent’s GDP, and 70 percent of employment. Women constitute nearly half of the workforce in this sector in sub-Saharan Africa. They perform most of the production and local marketing of food. However, when it comes to developing research programs, making decisions or leading agricultural development and food industry development work, women are clearly under-represented. It must therefore be noted that only half of the team is actually present in the sector due to difficulties in accessing funding, limited training, and gender disparities in intellectual property, the low percentage of women in science and technology across the continent. Women have so much to bring to the table. By unlocking their potential and utilising women’s talents to the full, we will be better placed to leverage science, technology and innovation to solve the chronic and pressing problems facing the continent, particularly with respect to food security.

Keywords: Agribusiness, agriculture, food security, women

Contact Address: Yawa Minnie Elodie Folly, Adili African Vegetables Processing Unit, Entrepreneur, Lomé, Togo, e-mail: minnielodiehotmail.fr