Empowering women entrepreneurs: successful launch of the South-South online series. On 19 February 2025, COLEAD and UN Women launched their initiative dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP)
- 06/03/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
No CommentsOn 19 February 2025, COLEAD and UN Women launched the first session of the South-South Online Series, an initiative dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs in Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific (ACP) and beyond. Designed to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, skills development and market access, the series provides a dynamic platform for business leaders to connect and progress. This series is created and organised as part of the Fit For Market Plus programme. A promising start: strong participation and significant impact… +The critical role of gender equality in sustainable development
- 10/04/2024
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
The critical role of gender equality in sustainable development On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, we celebrated in March the significant contributions of women in agri-food systems around the world. The agri-food sector is a major source of employment for women, with an estimated 66% of women in sub-Saharan Africa working in the sector. However, women often face discrimination and constraints that limit their productivity and earning potential. Understanding the root causes that limit women’s participation in… +International women’s rights day 2023 – Celebrate women in the agrifood sector!
- 08/03/2023
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: ACP EN
Women are essential contributors to agriculture and the rural economy, as labour and production workers, as drivers of innovations and entrepreneurs, and as owners of farms, input supply stores, service delivery businesses and export firms. About a third of all global established businesses are women owned and managed (GEM. Women’s Entrepreneurship 2020/21: Thriving Through Crisis), while women are the main drivers of global food production (UNDP. Gender And Climate Change – Gender, climate change and food security). Empowering women entrepreneurship… +Suriname : market access support to SURIVIT for their processed products
- 28/10/2022
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Cassava, News, Suriname
Surivit, a Surinamese company specialising in fruit and cassava processing, produces cassava flour, baby porridge, cassava pancake mixes and cassava flakes both for local use in Suriname and for export markets. SURIVIT works with a total of 38 local outgrowers located all over the country, including the women’s cooperative Wi! Uma fu Sranan (WUFS – “We the women of Suriname”), an organisation that aims to improve the living standards of female producers. Since 2021, Surivit has worked to develop a… +COLEACP celebrates businesses and SMEs empowering rural women
- 15/10/2022
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: ACP EN, News
The International Day of Rural Women, celebrated the day before the International World Food Day (on 16 October), acknowledges women’s significant contributions to agriculture food and food safety, as well as the rural economy in all regions of the world. Women represent, on average, 43 percent of the agricultural labour force in developing countries from 20 percent in Latin America to 50 percent in Eastern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.1 They are a significant entrepreneurial force as owners of farms, input… +INNOVATIONS SERIES: Business Profiles of the SMEs showcased in the first 7 sessions
- 04/05/2022
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, News, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda
In November 2020, the Pan-African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO) and COLEACP launched the Innovations Series on innovations and successes of African farmer-led businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). SMEs, despite the numerous challenges they face, have unprecedented opportunities to supply local, regional and export markets. Moreover, innovation is a driving force in transforming food systems, promoting sustainable agriculture and leveraging investment. In this context, PAFO and COLEACP hold a two-hour session, every two months, to share best practices from entrepreneurs,… +INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S RIGHTS DAY 2022
- 08/03/2022
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: ACP EN, News
Celebrate women in the agrifood sector! Worldwide, about a third of established businesses are women owned and managed.1 Sub-Saharan Africa has of the highest rates of women’s entrepreneurs.2 Latin America and the Caribbean region show a high rate of women entrepreneurs involved in high-growth activity and manufacturing and transportation sector, half of them being under the age of 35.3 Women are a significant entrepreneurial force as owners of farms, input supply stores, service delivery businesses, and processing and export firms… +IICA-COLEACP Caribbean Agrifood Business Series: Ensuring food quality and safety
- 15/12/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Barbados, Caribbean, Jamaica, News, Suriname
The fourth session of the Caribbean Agrifood Business Series, organised by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and COLEACP, focused on “Ensuring food quality and safety in the Caribbean: the key role of SMEs and businesses”. The online session on 9 December reunited 240 participants from the Caribbean and other parts of world, including 15 African countries. Entrepreneurs, food safety and quality specialists, and experts on policy and finance highlighted the importance of food and nutrition security in… +News digest: COP26, climate change and food systems
- 26/10/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Caribbean, News, Pacific
What’s happening at COP26? You can view the overall schedule and themes here. What events are relevant to food systems? As well as the international negotiations, there are many “Green Zone” events and side events. The following selection focuses on natural resources, agriculture, and the ACP regions. Green Zone You can join these events virtually by subscribing to the COP26 YouTube channel. Links to each free live stream will be found on the Green Zone webpage. Date in November Time… +Suriname: Working with Surivit to develop a social enterprise business
- 22/10/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Caribbean, Suriname
Surivit, a Surinamese company specialising in fruit and cassava processing, produces cassava flour, baby porridge, cassava pancake mixes and cassava flakes both for local use in Suriname and for export markets. Surivit works closely with women’s cooperative Wi! Uma fu Sranan (WUFS – “We the women of Suriname”), an organisation that aims to improve the living standards of female producers. Surivit has the ambition to professionalise as a social enterprise, with the aim of generating a significant positive impact on… +