SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT: APPLYING AGRIBUSINESS INCUBATION

Abstract

Women economic empowerment is still a great challenge in the rural areas of Africa, where the major source of income is agriculture. Most of the farmers do farming for consumption purposes and few of them do it for commercial services. Most of those who participate in agricultural activities are men. Women are assumed to be doing home duties. Agribusiness is doing agriculture for commercial purposes. Like any other business, agribusiness has its challenges and successes. Agribusiness incubation has been known to be a new concept in Africa that helps farmers overcome the challenges in agriculture and agribusiness. In addition, agribusiness incubation has been taken up because of its ability to transform agriculture towards poverty eradication and food security in the region that had been plagued by poverty and food insecurity in the past. Therefore, this research will find out how the process of agribusiness incubation will help women in small-scale agribusinesses overcome the challenges in agriculture and agribusiness and provide them with sustainable source of income.

The main purpose of this study was to explore ways to promote sustainable economic empowerment of women in the rural areas of Africa, where the practice of agriculture is regarded as the main economic activity and a source of income. First, it was to identify the experiences of women who do small-scale agriculture and agribusiness in these areas, and then focus on how the process of agribusiness incubation was used to improve their businesses. The main aim of this study was to identify the challenges women face in small-scale agriculture and agribusiness, and to find out how agribusiness incubation is used to overcome these challenges and promote a sustainable solution to women economic empowerment.

Qualitative research method was used in this study where, raw data was collected during the agribusiness conference in Senegal through individual interviews and note-taking of PowerPoint presentations, and workshops. The research design used was phenomenological approach where lived experiences of women in agribusiness was explored The data was then analysed through thematic content analysis, and the major themes formed was used to interpret the results of this study.

From the results of this study three broad themes emerged: First, women face challenges in small-scale agribusiness that included lack of financial assistance, lack of support, lack of cheap labour and many more. Second, agribusiness incubation as a sustainable solution to agribusiness challenges is done by bringing in different actors (financial institutions, technological sectors, Information Communication Technology, private sectors and government) to help farmers overcome challenges in agribusiness and become sustainable. Third, is the economic empowerment of women in small-scale agribusiness, where women get involved in agribusiness activities that offer a sustainable source of income and make them independent.

In conclusion, gender inequality has been a global issue, and promotion of women economic empowerment is part of the solution that contributes towards sustainable developmental goals. Agribusiness incubation has been used as a tool to help small-scale agribusiness in Africa to overcome challenges and become sustainable in terms of income generation, poverty reduction and promotion of food security. If the communities could invest in agribusiness incubation, they could promote sustainable economic empowerment more so to women in the rural areas of Africa. However, there should be more research on how agribusiness incubation works and how the results are realised.