Ignite supports young women in agribusinesses

Fifteen young women entrepreneurs in agribusinesses from nine African countries have been awarded certificates after undergoing a three-week mentoring and support training programme to boost their businesses.

The women, selected from Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Sudan, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, are into large scale vegetable farming, poultry and livestock farming.

Others are into fish farming, rice farming, processed foods and herbal products which can be used for medicinal, skincare as well as aromatic purposes.

They were selected by Ignite to participate in the 2019 Women in Agribusinesses support training programme.

Ignite is an agribusiness programme designed to inspire jobs and wealth creation in young African women through business skills development.
It has been organising support training programmes that produce value addition to goods and services since 2016.

Mr George Oduro, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, in a speech read on his behalf, said women in agribusiness in Africa face barriers such as access to credit and markets, high value supermarkets, institutional buyers as well as regional and international markets.

"The key and sustainable way to address the numerous challenges faced by women in agribusinesses is to build their capacity around business models, value chains, accessing innovative financing, access to markets and policies that unlock women businesses," he added.

Ms Alexander Prempeh, a pig farmer and a participant, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency. said the training was an eye-opener, as she has learnt how to add value to pig farming.

Ms Ruth Wambari, a vegetable farmer, also said the programme has broaden her understanding of agricultural market in Africa and how to capture her niche to enable her to become competitive.