Women play an essential role in the success of small farms and agricultural businesses around the world. But despite the vital role of women farmers, they continue to face inequality and obstacles to earning a decent living. Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nespresso, William Warshauer, CEO of TechnoServe, and Mefthe Tadesse, East Africa Regional Director for TechnoServe, discuss ways to promote gender equality in coffee farming.
On Monday, March 8, the world will celebrate the tremendous achievements of women across the globe. In the last year, the COVID-19 crisis has illuminated the essential role women play in society and the disproportionate burdens they carry in their everyday lives. Read five inspirational stories of women leaders who have overcome significant challenges to create a brighter future, then vote on your favorite story.
While this year has challenged all of us in so many ways, it has also allowed us to see how interconnected we all are – no matter who we are or where we’re from. How has COVID-19 affected your life? Take our poll, then meet TechnoServe clients – smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs in the developing world – who are experiencing similar situations.
Dave Hale, Director of TechnoServe Labs, talks about our tech approach to improving cashew production in Benin, and its potential for replication and improving farmers' incomes.
In northern Nigeria, access to markets, financial services, and relevant business training is crucial for women in agribusiness. Peanut processing offers women an opportunity to gain greater control of their resources, grow their income, and invest in their families and businesses.
In Andhra Pradesh, India, women like Nimmaka Varahalamma are working with TechnoServe to gain the skills and confidence they need to successfully lead farmer producer organizations in their communities.
The USDA and TechnoServe will strengthen support to cashew growers and processors in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria
In 2012, Lubaba Mekonnen, a single parent of two, joined a TechnoServe program that was working with coffee farmers in her community. At the time, she had no regular source of income and was struggling to support her family. Today, her income has increased by 200%, her coffee farm is flourishing, and her son is getting ready to attend university next year.
In rural Brazil, entrepreneurship offers a pathway out of poverty. Since 2018, TechnoServe, in partnership with Fundação Vale, has been working with communities in the Brumadinho municipality of Minas Gerais, improving livelihoods by helping people create their own businesses.
