Women constitute a significant portion of the agricultural workforce in Africa, producing over 70 percent of the continent’s food supply. Yet, they face numerous challenges that hinder their full participation and potential within this sector. The systemic inequalities they face in accessing agricultural resources and the barriers to regional markets hamper their productivity and undermine their livelihood.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers an incredibly vast scope of action to enhance agricultural trade and food security, and it recognises women as the vital link to driving this goal. The AfCFTA established the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade, a policy that outlines general provisions, objectives, and guidelines for sustained action towards addressing these challenges and catalysing the inclusivity and empowerment of women farmers across the continent.
To read more, check the full article on Business Day.
Photo by U.S.EmbassyBF via Unsplash.