Women produce 70% of the food on the African continent, but they face significant barriers to succeeding in the agribusiness arena. Addressing their access to technology and upskilling them in ‘digital agriculture’ tools will help increase their yields, income and resilience against shocks.
Every year, the UN’s Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) Day is celebrated on 27 June, recognising the important contribution small businesses make to economies around the world. It is also an opportunity to shine a light on the challenges of female agripreneurs in Africa and how digital technologies can help them to establish successful businesses.
Agriculture and agribusiness play a key role in Africa as the main source of income and employment for rural people and the poor. In line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, women account for 40 to 50% of Africa’s total agricultural workforce and are responsible for producing 70% of the food on the continent.
However, evidence shows significant gender gaps in agricultural productivity, performance and profitability in sub-Saharan Africa, where women are about 20% to 30% less productive than their male counterparts.
These gaps are attributable to several financial and economic challenges and constraints, including unequal access to productive resources such…
Source link