MEDA’s Greater Rural Opportunities for Women 2 (GROW2) project, in partnership with the Department of Agribusiness at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Consumer Sciences (FoFACS), will host the first Inclusive Finance and Impact Investment Forum in Tamale, Northern Ghana from August 21-23, 2024.
The forum, which will be moderated by the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) West Africa Chapter, aims to tackle the critical challenges of financial inclusion and investment accessibility for women in agribusiness in Northern Ghana. Despite their pivotal role in agriculture, women-led agribusinesses in this region often face significant barriers in accessing finance and investment opportunities compared with their southern counterparts. The GROW2 Inclusive Finance and Investment Forum seeks to bridge these gaps by providing a platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and matchmaking between impact investors and women-led agribusinesses. Networking will also be held for a diverse group of participants, including development partners and government representatives.
Francis Essuman, Project Manager of GROW2, underscored the forum’s importance, emphasizing that “empowering women agribusinesses with inclusive financial solutions is crucial for sustainable economic development in Northern Ghana.”
Dr. Vivian Boateng, Head of Department of Agribusiness at UDS, envisages the forum to be “a real experience where fruitful business deals will be sealed for gender inclusivity and sustainable women businesses across Northern Ghana.”
Key highlights of the forum will include presentations, expert panel discussions on innovative financial solutions tailored to the needs of women agribusinesses, opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to pitch their businesses and engage in investor matchmaking, and an exhibition showcasing innovative agricultural technologies, products, and services from women-led agribusinesses. The forum is expected to attract 100 participants, including representatives from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, financial institutions, impact investors, agribusiness networks, women in agribusiness caucuses, development partners and projects, and media partners.
GROW2 is a five-year project implemented by MEDA and funded by Global Affairs Canada. It aims to support 40,000 smallholder women farmers, 5,000 entrepreneurs, and 50 agribusinesses (at least 50% women-led) in the soybean, groundnut, and vegetable value chains of Northern Ghana by fostering an improved business environment, increased application of climate-smart and nutrition-focused agricultural practices, and enhanced gender equality.
This article was initially published by MEDA.
