
Enhancing Women’s Access to Finance
This live webinar is a side event of the 21st Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Partnership Platform (CAADP PP) and the 16th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS), held October 29-31, 2025.
Organizing Partners
The event is co-organized by FAO, ITC, CORAF, Vision Fund International, Pan African Savings and Loans, and the African Management Institute.
Webinar Focus
The session explores promising and scalable approaches to enhance women's access to finance in agrifood systems. This aligns with the CAADP Kampala Agenda for inclusive and transformative growth.
The Challenge
Women represent nearly half of Africa's agrifood workforce but face significant financial barriers. These barriers limit their ability to grow agribusinesses, access new markets, or scale operations.
What the Webinar Covers
The session shares practical lessons, innovative financing models, and policy reforms that can bridge the financing gap and unlock women's entrepreneurial potential.
Participants will gain insights from successful initiatives addressing both demand and supply sides of agricultural finance:
Investor-readiness programs
Mentorship and coaching
Design of inclusive financial products
Guarantee schemes tailored to women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises
Speakers
Ron Osman - Director of Industry, Minerals, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, African Union
Bethel Terefe - Senior Gender Expert, FAO
Mumbi Maina - Senior Access to Finance Officer, ITC
Mariame Maiga - Regional Gender and Social Development Adviser, CORAF
Karen Chama - Resource Development and Management Director, Vision Fund International
Sarah Annam - Gender and Inclusion Manager, Pan African Saving and Loans
Prince Oppong - Senior Programme Manager, African Management Institute
Who Should Attend
Women entrepreneurs in agrifood systems
Financial institutions serving agricultural sectors
Gender and finance specialists
Development practitioners working on women's economic empowerment
Policymakers addressing agricultural finance
Agricultural business support organizations
Investors interested in women-led agribusinesses
Event Details
Format: Live webinar
Context: Side event of 21st CAADP PP and 16th ADFNS
Focus: Women's access to finance in agrifood systems, innovative financing models, policy reforms
Organizing Partners: FAO, ITC, CORAF, Vision Fund International, Pan African Savings and Loans, African Management Institute