Women entrepreneurs – key players in ACP agribusiness development

17 September 2015. Brussels. Organised by CTA, the DG DEVCO from the European Commission, the ACP Secretariat, Concord and various media, this Briefing will discuss the key challenges and new opportunities to enhance women’s led agribusiness: 

1. review women’s entrepreneurs successes and the lessons learned from research and practice; 
2. promote the exchange of information on best practices and drivers of success; 
3. feed into the debate various perspectives on policy options.

Background note and Programme
Reader
Biodata of the speakers
Resources & Glossary

Panel 1: Enhancing women’s-led agribusiness development

• Gender dimensions of agribusiness development Stephanie Barrientos, Professor, Institute of Development Policy and Management and Associate Director, Brooks World Poverty Institute, University of Manchester [Working Paper]
• Factors of competitiveness of women entrepreneurs and their participation in trade Christian Planchette, Senior Training Officer, Enterprise Competitiveness, International Trade Centre (ITC), United Nations
• Agribusiness development in the Pacific: challenges and opportunities for women Mereia Volavola, CEO, Pacific Island Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO)
• Support from EIB to women entrepreneurs and to the agribusiness sector Jacqueline Church, Policy Officer, European Investment Bank (EIB)

Panel 2: Women’s entrepreneurs successes in ACP regions

• Adding value locally through differentiated fish product Lovin Kobusingye, Managing Director, Kati Farms Uganda
• Pioneering a local food processing industry for improved nutrition Simone Zoundi, CEO, Sodepal, Burkina Faso
• Organic Farm to Table: creating a sustainable supply chain supporting women Alberta Vitale, Associate Director, Women in Business Dev. (WIBDI), Samoa
• Production and Trade of Coconut Oil in Guyana Rosemund Benn, President, Pomeroon Women Agro-Processor Association,Guyana
• Cattle and maize production supplied to local market Tepsy Ntseoane, Eve’s Eden Farming Enterprise, South Africa