Why should women and girls aspire to be agripreneurs?
September 29, 2020
Agribusiness is the business of agricultural production. It includes agrichemicals, breeding, crop production, distribution, farm machinery, processing, and seed supply, as well as marketing and retail sales.
The evolution from agriculture to agribusiness has brought with it numerous benefits. These include reduced drudgery for laborers, release of workers for non-agricultural endeavors, a better quality of food and fibers, a greater variety of products, improved nutrition, and increased mobility of people.
United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization for example operates a section devoted to agribusiness development in the agriculture sector which seeks to promote food industry growth in developing nations. Removing the development barriers women face professionally can generate productive gains, which would make their homes and nations more competitive in global market and hopefully accelerate development. As Melanie Verveer, Ambassador -at Large for Global Women’s Issues, says, ”Unleashing women’s potential by closing the gender gap in the agricultural sector is a win-win strategy’
Now, the question is, why should women/ girls invest in agribusiness?
To begin with, employment, agribusiness can generate productive gains, which would make their homes and nations more competitive in global market hopefully accelerate development.
In addition, it reduces the vulnerability of unemployed women. Women can feed the home through the farm produce and sell some, which is also a source of income for them and this can go a long way to prevent abusive treatment and domestic violence which is usually perpetrated against vulnerable women who have no means of income and there stick with abusive men for their daily bread or family upkeep.
Moreover, Empowerment, women control quite significant segment of trade in- Africa- from the production of agricultural goods that are traded especially in export commodes like cocoa, coffee and horticulture, to cross-border formal and trade.
Women’s capacity to organize and mobilize in taking charge of their own issues provides better chances of them accessing the support they need in order to their business.
Women are of vital importance to rural economies. Rearing poultry and small livestock and growing food crops, they are responsible for some 60% to 80% of food production in developing countries. In many farming communities, women are the main custodians of knowledge on crop varieties.
Also, when women go into agribusiness, it increases production. Research shows that, when same acres of lands are given to both men and women, women are able to increase production, because women are able to ran and manage farm efficiently.
To conclude, Guarantee’s family food security, women play a key role in food security, they are the backbone of rural economy especially in the developing countries. Most households are headed by women but their access to productive resources is limited.
With the obvious benefits of Agribusiness, STAR Women, a non-profit working to equip marginalized and underprivileged women and girls with success skills and see them thrive deserves a commendation for organizing a STAR Masterclass webinar on Agripreneurship for women and girls who are interested in venturing into that career path. The webinar which will be on Saturday, 3rd October, 2020 will expose participants to various opportunities and prepare them to face the challenges of the trade.
Written by Christopher Kpobi
Media and Communications Assistant at STAR Women