On November 27, BoP Innovation Center organizes the second webinar in the series of Women as Inclusive Business Partners: this webinar looks at the Food and Agriculture sector in base of the pyramid markets. Women play an important, but often undervalued role as dairy or agricultural farmers. They are also involved in processing or service provision in value chains. This webinar looks at two front-running initiatives that benefit from engaging with women in this sector. It also provides a short background to the potential of women in agro-based value chains in BoP markets.
Speakers include: Mary Munene – Land O’ Lakes (Kenya) and Mahalet Solomon – TGT Enterprise, (Ethiopia), Nelleke van der Vleuten, BoP Inc/ICCO Cooperation
Women are traditionally under-represented in agricultural training and programs for input supplies and have less access to markets than men. Land O’ Lakes recognized the important role women can play in improving quality and production in the Kenyan dairy sector. Looking across the sector, they provide women the same opportunities men have; and this strategy has paid off. Mary Munene will speak about how this initiative came about, the challenges on the way and success they have had with this strategy.
The second speaker looks at a different aspect of the sector, in this case in Ethiopia. The available mechanised farm equipment is often too big for the farm size of low income groups. Besides this, traditionally women do not operate ploughs. TGT recognised the opportunity and together with Dutch partners is introducing smaller farm equipment, particularly two wheeled tractors which are well-fit for the work women do. Mahalet Solomon will speak about the plans, opportunities and challenges of this innovative initiative.
This series of webinar is designed to provide practical insights into the ‘what and how’ of engaging women as business partners at the base of the pyramid, with a focus on the benefit for businesses throughout the value chain. This includes their role as producers, employees, distributors and consumers. The initiative is based on the vision that a commercial business case, social impact and overall improvement for local communities can be combined by actively engaging women in BoP markets.
To register and for additional information, please visit the website of BoP Innovation Center.
For general enquiries and contact: Nelleke van der Vleuten
- This event has passed.