**Fatshimetrie: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in the Agricultural Sector in Africa**
In a continent that is booming with entrepreneurial activity, the story of Augustina Tufuor, an entrepreneur from Ghana, resonates as a poignant testimony to many women seeking to flourish in the business world. At the age of 30, she founded Tropical Snacks, a company producing all-natural plantain chips. However, despite her success, Augustina faced significant obstacles in growing her business, mainly financial.
Augustina’s story is unfortunately not an isolated one. Many women in sub-Saharan Africa face major challenges in accessing finance, land and technology. According to the International Trade Centre (ITC), more than 70% of women-led businesses in Africa lack access to financial services, leaving them dependent on informal networks or personal savings.
In response to this complex reality, FAO and ITC have jointly launched the Empowering Women and Boosting Livelihoods through Agricultural Trade (EWAT) programme. Deployed in six African countries, EWAT aims to help women entrepreneurs participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by providing training in product development, sales, marketing and financial readiness.
The journey of Asma Begum Mirza, a 61-year-old Nigerian agripreneur, perfectly illustrates the challenges these women face. Despite high interest rates and collateral requirements, Asma was able to transform her reality by attending EWAT’s Financial Readiness Bootcamp in Lagos, where she learned how to convincingly present her business plan and pitch effectively to investors.
More than just training, the EWAT programme works closely with financial institutions to create loan products tailored to women working in agriculture. Clara Park, FAO’s Gender Equality Officer, highlights the importance of gender equality in the organization’s work, which is actively committed to helping women access new markets, adapt to trade regulations and improve their chances of financing.
Through initiatives such as EWAT, women like Augustina and Asma are acquiring the tools and knowledge needed to overcome structural barriers and grow their businesses in Africa’s agricultural sector. Thus, empowering women entrepreneurs becomes not only an economic imperative but also a key lever for inclusive and sustainable growth on the continent.