Empowering Women
in Agriculture

Empowering Women in Agriculture (EWA)

Despite their central role in food production and rural economies, the potential of women in agriculture across Africa remains largely untapped due to persistent structural barriers, unequal access to resources, and economic constraints that limit their full participation in agricultural development.

Recognizing that African women are essential to agricultural transformation, inclusive growth, and sustainable development, representatives from the 55 member organizations of the Gender Is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) Network, coordinated by Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS), mobilized to address this gap through an innovative and action-oriented strategy: the Empowering Women in Agriculture (EWA) Initiative.

Launched on the sidelines of the 19th **African Union Summit in 2012, EWA is a multi-stakeholder platform that brings together governments, public–private partners, international organizations, and civil society actors working across the continent.

The initiative promotes strategic capacity-building programs designed to strengthen women farmers’ leadership and maximize their contribution to agricultural value chains. EWA focuses on advancing women’s equitable access to critical resources—including land, finance, technology, and markets—thereby improving livelihoods, strengthening food security, and supporting sustainable development across Africa.

Since its inception, EWA has implemented a series of high-level dialogues, partnerships, and field-based initiatives to accelerate women’s economic empowerment in agriculture and ensure their voices shape policy and investment decisions in the sector.