During the Women Leadership Programme in May 2024, around 20 women from African countries and Germany met again for a one-week workshop in Bavaria, Germany to become fit for leadership in their organisations. One topic that concerns the women across countries is climate change, but also violence against women and their discrimination in agriculture.
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Nandanee Seeborun, organic farmer and President of the Women's Association of Farmers in Agriculture, Livestock, Cooperative, Organic Network (F.A.L.C.O.N) from Mauritius, has traveled far to receive further training on leadership issues in Munich. She has been responsible for supporting women in her farming organisation for seven years. They are often jobless, stay at home, and are economically disadvantaged compared to their husbands. Nandanee runs a model farm where she trains other farmers. There, Nandanee teaches them how to grow their own fruit and vegetables organically and how to obtain certificates. The women earn an income by selling their produce such as lettuce, potatoes, avocados, bananas, or strawberries in the neighborhood. FALCON also helps the farmers to better prepare for climate change. "There are cyclones here every year," says Nandanee. "The floods and the storms destroy our harvests." This is why her organization support farmers in building greenhouses to protect their crops from meteorological disturbance. FALCON also advises farmers on converting from conventional to organic farming and protecting local forests.
Nandanee is one of around 20 participants in the Women Leadership Programme, which starts this year in Aufkirchen, Bavaria, and has its second round in Rwanda in November 2024. The women spent a week there in intensive leadership workshops with two trainers from Tunisia and Benin who have been trained by the Andreas Hermes Akademie (AHA). They visited the Bavarian Rural Women and two family farms with dairy farming and potato cultivation.
"I am learning more about the idea of leadership here and I want to pass this on to the women in my country - no matter what field they work in,"
says Nandanee. "I want to continue to grow and progress and perhaps also encourage other women to not just stay in their own country, but to go out and exchange ideas with others."
The programme was initiated by the Global Programme Strengthening Farmers' Organizations for Sustainable Agricultural Development of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with the partner organisations PanAfrican Farmers' Organization (PAFO), AHA, and the Deutscher LandFrauenverband e.V. (dlv). Every year, until 2025, 20 selected women from farmers’ organisations in partner countries can receive further leadership training. They will take the lessons learned back to their organisations and communities.
"I think that this program, which has been developed specifically for women, will help to set in motion the ideas of the German government concerning feminist development cooperation," says Ursula Braunewell, regional chairwoman of the LandFrauenverband Rheinhessen e. V. and first vice president of the dlv. "It will also make a contribution because it is a multiplier project for women. I don't go home to my quiet little room, but share what we have experienced, what we have learned, how the women are doing. It is also important to raise awareness and help women in Africa to act as multipliers and create a network that is sustainable."
Aichatou Sakho from Mauritania is the youngest participant of this year’s programme. The 26-year-old grows rice and vegetables with her father and is a member of the Maghreb and North African Union of Farmers (UMNAGRI). "Just the fact that I left Mauritania to come to Germany to learn more about leadership is an asset," says Aichatou. She was nominated for the programme by her father, with whom she works together on their farm. "He encourages me every day. I am very grateful to him." She recently started her own business - selling spice blends. She also wants to get into milk production with her father and younger brothers. It's worth taking a broad stance because climate change is also making life difficult for farmers in Mauritania. "The climate is dry. You plant your garden and when you come back, the sun has dried everything out. Then there is too much rain again and flooding in the fields, which destroys the rice. These are effects that many farmers there are struggling with." Sometimes they have to give up their activities. Nevertheless, she is optimistic about the future: "My wish is to become a leader. That's why I'm doing this course. It will certainly take a while but maybe one day I will train other women, grow with them, and be a great leader."
Sekola Sylvie Chantal, a farmer from the Central African Republic and Vice President for Women within the farmers' organisation CNOP, part of the Regional Platform of Farmers' Organizations in Central Africa (PROPAC), knows that women sometimes need a little push to trust themselves to lead. "There are many women in my village community who are afraid to speak in front of others and negotiate with partner organisations. They are afraid and ashamed. They say: 'I can't do it, what am I going to tell them, they'll send me straight back home'. We were like that once. But once you dare to try, it starts working. You have to dare to do things in life. So, we push women forward to dare to do something like us."
She learned from the programme that participative leadership is important. "You have to be able to listen to each other and accept criticism. Then you'll get far as a leader." She does this, for example, when she trains female farmers not to deforest the surrounding forests in addition to growing maize, peanuts, and beans. "Deforestation is caused by poverty," Chantal emphasizes. She advises the women to collect wild plants such as mushrooms, process them, and earn money with them. "With participatory leadership, you don't need to impose anything on people because everyone can participate and contribute their opinion." Of course, this implies resistance and problems from time to time. "You need patience, and you also have to develop yourself," Chantal knows from her experience.
The most important thing is cohesion in a farmers' organization, especially among women. Kavira Kapitula Esperance, a farmer from North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, knows this. She is President of the Ligue des Organisations des femmes paysannes du Congo (LOFEPACO), part of the umbrella organization of the East African Farmers Federation (EAFF). As a farmer, she grows rice and breeds rabbits. The fragile security situation in the region particularly affects women farmers around the towns of Beni and Loberu, she says. "The fields are far away from the villages. If the women want to go there, they have to be on guard to see if anyone is following them. “We can't move freely here. The women live like refugees in their own country. They are raped, and murdered while suffering from hunger, even though they are farmers. That's what the women are experiencing at the moment. We are suffering." With her farmers’ organisation, she visits the women, especially mothers, and listens to them. "We are there to give them strength." They also can share their problems at the annual meeting. "We call it the consulting room because women can get their problems off their chest there." The women' leadership training helps her to understand different leadership styles better. "The women in my organisation are farmers, role models, and charismatic leaders at the same time. Nevertheless, we will take on board the experiences of the other women who have welcomed us here in Germany so that our leadership style becomes even better. Being a leader means leading an organization for the common good."
There is still a long way to go before things are fair for women in agriculture. This is emphasised also by Lami Madjedje, President of the National Network of Women Farmers in Togo (RENAFAT Centrale), part of the regional umbrella organisation of farmers' associations in Western Africa (ROPPA). In central Togo, she grows cassava, grain, maize and soy. "There are tractors that you can hire, but as women, we have particular difficulties because we have no access to equipment, training, or land," says Lami. The land is also often very remote and inaccessible for tractors. The condition of the roads is poor. She is lobbying with her organisation and addressing the problems. Nevertheless, a lot of support and training, such as the Women Leadership Programme, are still needed for the women. "I have the vision that I will share the experiences I have gained from other women from other countries and continents. As a leader, I must work on taking other women in our network with me. I have to give something back. I have to let them participate so that they are on the same level of information. That will perfect the functioning of our network."
The programme is also attended by women from Germany who also want to think outside the box. "The key is to mix well with the German women so that they gain an insight into the problems faced in some African countries," says Ursula Braunewellof the LandFrauenverband Rheinhessen e. V.. There needs to be an openness to getting to know the sorrows and hardships and to adjust one's own perspective. "We complain at a high level here in Germany", she says. The women from the previous course are still in touch through a chat group. "We exchange ideas, we hear about all the climate disasters that are happening in the participants' countries. Whether it's rain or heat, drought or disease." But there is also positive news: "We have three new mothers in our group who have given birth to three young future leaders, which is great because we all wanted to stay in touch and have the opportunity to continue learning and sharing experiences after the project ends. And it works."
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A contribution by Heike Baumüller, Christine Husmann, Julia Machovsky-Smid, Oliver Kirui, Justice Tambo
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A contribution by Prof. Dr. Anna-Katharina Hornidge
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A Contribution by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
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Interview with Caroline Milow and Ramon Brentführer
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A contribution by William Onura and Larissa Stiem-Bhatia
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A contribution by Jes Weigelt and Alexander Müller
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Freshwater deficits are affecting more and more people throughout the world. In order to counter this, our global food system will have to change, our author maintains. A case for more research on alternative crops and smart water solutions.
A contribution by Dr. May Hokan and Dr. Arnulf Köhncke (WWF)
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A study by Markus Hanisch, Agustina Malvido, Johanna Hansmann, Alexander Mewes, Moritz Reigl, Nicole Paganini (SLE)
Post-Covid-19 lockdown: How food governance processes could include marginalised communities - an extract of the results of an SLE study applying digital and participatory methods.
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A contribution by Dr. Kathleen Mar and Dr. Nicole de Paula
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A study by the World Bank predicts that millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa will have to leave their homelands because of climate change. We have spoken with one of the authors
Adaptation to climate change can be achieved by making agriculture more environmentally sustainable – if the rich countries also reduce their emissions
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The climate crisis fuels world hunger. What needs to change in the global fight against hunger, and which role plays humanitarian aid in international development cooperation?
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This year's United Nations World Drug Report highlights for the first time the nexus between illicit drugs and the environment. In view of climate change, it is time to feed the debate with facts and make drug policy greener
Germany joins the international Agroecology Coalition, reinforcing its commitment to fair, sustainable agriculture and ensuring the future viability of rural areas. By adopting a holistic approach, agroecology is helping to address the greatest challenges of our time: protecting the climate, combating hunger and preserving biodiversity.
Recycling organic waste into soil amendments and animal feed through a transdisciplinary approach – this is what the RUNRES project, launched in four sub-Saharan African countries four years ago, seeks to achieve. Three of the project's scientists report.
Diversifying our protein supply to include plant-based foods and cultivated meat can be a game-changer for climate mitigation and climate adaptation, especially in the countries of the Global South. However, a great deal of research is still required to capitalise on this potential. And political support, as Ivo Rzegotta, Good Food Institute, demonstrates.
The United Nations plan a Food Systems Summit - and now the Corona-Virus is dictating the agenda. The Chief Economist of the UN World Food Programme takes stock of the current situation: a conversation with Jan Rübel about pandemics, about the chromosomes of development - and about the conflicts that inhibit them.
Does Africa's youth want to live in the city or in the country? Which career path seems particularly attractive? And how optimistic are the young people about the future? Young adults from rural areas answered these questions by SMS.
How can agriculture modernise Africa? And does the road to the cities really lead out of poverty? Dr. Reiner Klingholz from the Berlin Institute for Population and Development in conversation with Jan Rübel .
Small farmers in developing countries must modernise their farming methods, but poorly understood reforms could exacerbate poverty instead of alleviating it.
In western Africa a new middle class is emerging. Their consumer behaviour is determining the demand for products – home-produced and imported goods, on the internet or at the village market. The people of Ivory Coast in particular are looking to the future with optimism.
This is a benchmark for everybody: More rights for women are a very influencing solution in the struggle against extreme poverty and hunger worldwide, says Stephan Exo-Kreischer, Director of ONE Germany. The organisation specialises in political campaigning as a lever for sustainable change.
Happy youngsters in rural areas, green development and the connection to the digital age – professor Joachim von Braun believes in this future sceneraio for Africa. For three decades the agricultural scienties has been researching how politics can create prosperty on the continent.
It is 2080. We are on a farm somewhere in Africa. Everything is digital. The blockchain is an omnipotent point of reference, and the farm is flourishing. But then, everything goes wrong. A dystopian short story, written exclusively for SEWOH.
A contribution by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Africa’s population is young and ready to take its destiny into its own hands. Agriculture offers amazing opportunities in this regard. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation wants to support the next generation in this way.
Lack of seasonal workers and virus explosion in slaughterhouses, rising vegetable prices, climate crisis – all this demonstrates: Our food system is highly productive and (at least for the rich inhabitants of planet earth) guarantees an unprecedented rich and steady food supply - but it is not resilient.
At the moment, the agricultural industries of African countries exist in relative isolation. Imagine peasant farmers digitally connected to the value chains of the global food industry. How could this happen? A guidebook.
Interview with Gnininkaboka Dabiré and Innocent Somé
Later on you want to become a farmer yourself, or would you prefer to take up another profession? Two young people from Burkina-Faso talked to representatives of the Dreyer Foundation about their parents' farms, the profession of farmer and their own plans for the future.
A contritbution by Essa Chanie Mussa (University of Gondar)
Rural youth need viable livelihood opportunities to escape out of poverty and realize their aspirations. How could they be helped to fully unleash their potential? This is an aloud call that needs novel strategies among governments, policy makers, and international development partners and donors.
As President of the IABM cooperative in Muhanga, Alphonsine Mukankusi is not simply focused on the figures. She has learned how to deal with people and how to take on responsibility. At the same time, her work helps her to come to terms with the past
A report by Alexander Müller and Jes Weigelt (TMG)
As the climate changes, the population of Africa is growing and fertile land and jobs are becoming scarcer. New ways are currently leading to urbanisation of agriculture and a new mid-sized sector in the countryside
Agnes Kalibata, AGRA president since 2014 and former minister of agriculture and wildlife in Rwanda, is convinced that Africa's economy will only grow sustainably if small-scale agriculture is also seen as an opportunity.
Interview with Paul Newnham, Director of the SDG 2 Advocacy Hub.
The UN Food Systems pre-Summit in Rome dealt with transforming the ways of our nutrition. How do you bring that to a broad public? Questions to Paul Newnham, the Director of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 Advocacy Hub.
Interview with Martina Fleckenstein (WWF), Michael Kühn (WHH) and Christel Weller-Molongua (GIZ)
After the summit means pre-summit: It was the first time that the United Nations held a summit on food systems. Martina Fleckenstein, Michael Kühn and Christel Weller-Molongua reviewed the situation in this joint interview.
The world’s population keeps on growing; with this rise comes an increased need for food as well as productive employment opportunities. Offering young people in rural areas better employment prospects is one of the objectives of the sector project. The young population is the key to a modern and efficient agricultural economy.
In the run-up to the G7 summit, experts from politics and civil society discussed sustainable and more effective options for action by the G7 states to combat hunger.
Why are short- and long-term responses important to address current and future global crises? Sebastian Lesch, Head of the Agriculture Division at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), provides answers to these and other questions in an interview with the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development (GDPRD) and explains how much Germany welcomes all donors pulling together and acting in concert.
It takes the joint efforts of diverse actors to achieve a transformative impact on the global food system. Barbara Rehbinder, Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN), discusses four people-centred principles to get closer to this goal.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, not all financial institutions (FIs) have access to knowledge about how to implement processes to enhance rural financial inclusion. The pan-African Community of Practice (CoP) plays a pivotal role in supporting these institutions along this transformative journey.
How can agriculture engage more young people in rural areas? Advocacy and education campaigns can play an important role here. Simeon Kambalame, Timveni Child and Youth Media Organisation, has launched such a campaign in Malawi.
Roughly 800 million people suffer from hunger worldwide. Change is needed - for people and for the environment. Brot für die Welt reports on the starting points offered by everyone's ecological footprint and handprint.
Shu Wen Ng is a health economist. She knows what is best suited to go on a plate. But how can this be achieved on a mass scale in countries with lower incomes? "The solutions to gett there already exist," she says, "but what is often missing is courageous leadership to implement them."
At the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit (AFSH), organized by the African Union (AU) and the Government of Kenya in May, the Nairobi Declaration was adopted. It aims to triple domestic production of organic and inorganic fertilizers by 2034 and to improve access and affordability for smallholder farmers. GIZ reviews the Summit.
A Contribution by Emmanuel Atamba & Larissa Stiem-Bhatia
Drawing on dialogues with experts in Kenya, TMG Research releases its latest policy brief highlighting the critical need to strengthen coordination mechanisms in food systems governance. Emmanuel Atamba and Larissa Stiem-Bhatia from TMG Research summarize the results.
A report by T. S. Jayne, A. Adelaja and R. Mkandawire
Thirty years ago, Africa was synonymous with war, famine and poverty. That narrative is clearly outdated. African living standards are rising remarkably fast. Our authors are convinced that improving education and entrepreneurship will ensure irreversible progress in the region even as it confronts COVID-19.
The soybean is a natural crop that can be used to make a lot of food. So, Tata Bi started a small processing business first on her own, then with a few other women, which provides the women with an additional source of income year-round besides selling the soybeans.
Supporting groups of smallholding women substantially contributes to strengthen rural operations economically. The organisation and associated group activities can help to reduce extreme poverty and improve the food situation.
Besides the well known impacts of Covid19 lockdowns for the adult population, the associated school closures led to 90 percent of the world’s children with no access to schools. However, school meals are in often the only daily meal for children. Without access to this safety net, issues like hunger, poverty and malnutrition are exacerbated for hundreds of millions of children.
The majority of producers in developing countries are women. Although they contribute significantly to the food security of their families, they remain chronically disadvantaged in male-dominated agriculture in terms of access to land, credit, technology and education.
A contribution by Nadine Babatounde and Anne Floquet (MISEREOR)
To prevent malnutrition among young children and strengthen the role of women in their communities, Misereor, together with the local non-governmental organisation CEBEDES, is implementing a programme on integrated home gardens in Benin - a series of pictures.
What happens when young people leave the rural areas? How can the region achieve what is referred to as the demographic bonus – and how can it reap the benefits of the demographic dividend? A look at demography shows the following: What is most important is promoting women’s rights and education.
A menstrual health pilot in Rural Malawi empowers rural women in Agribusiness through hygiene products and helps to improve working conditions in rural areas.
How can we reach more people with successful approaches to food security? In Berlin, an international conference organized by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationaler Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) addressed this issue.
During the trade Grüne Woche, school classes visited the BMZ (German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development), Brot für die Welt and Misereor. Each class spends one hour at their stand to learn about the global challenges posed by food systems. A review by Jan Rübel.
Agriculture is coming under pressure worldwide: bacteria, viruses and insects are causing problems for crops. In Palestine, Dr. Rana Samara from the Palestinian Academy of Science and Technology is researching solutions to the problem. And she finds them in nature itself.
VR glasses are hardly a conventional tool in agriculture: for the past three years, they have been used in rural areas of Burkina Faso and Cameroon as a training tool for sustainable cotton cultivation.
Startups are booming in African agriculture. What are the current trend and challenges – and can other regions benefit from innovative approaches? A Video-Interview with Claudia Makadristo, Regional Manager of Seedstars
A quick and cost-effective method calculates living wages and incomes for many different countries. The GIZ together with Fairtrade International and Richard and Martha Anker have developed a tool that companies can use to easily analyse income and wage gaps.
What contribution does development cooperation make to conflict prevention? What can it do for sustainable peace? Political scientist Karina Mroß talks to Raphael Thelen about post-conflict societies and their chances for peaceful development.
The Cashew Council is the first international organisation for a raw material stemming from Africa. The industry promises to make progress in processing and refining cashew nuts - and answers to climate change
In the tropics rainforests are still being felled for the production of palm oil, meat and furniture. It is high time to act. Proposals are on the table.
Fish is important for combating malnutrition and undernourishment. But it is not only notable for its nutritional value, but also secures the livelihoods and employment for 600 million people worldwide.
In October, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) adopted policy recommendations ‘Promoting Youth Engagement and Employment in Agriculture and Food Systems’. Anke Oppermann answers five questions on youth employment in the agricultural sector.
Saskia Widenhorn, Head of the Cotton Component in Cameroon and the Sub-Saharan Cotton Initiative at GIZ, reports on the Bremer Cotton Week, which brought together international industry experts. The agenda included supply chain transparency, sustainability and new forms of cooperation between the private sector and partner countries.
Three female entrepreneurs from Mozambique, Sri Lanka and Uganda tell their stories about starting organic businesses from scratch, now selling Baobab Oil, Gotukola powder and Shea butter in international markets. And they explain why their business is almost 100 percent female.
There are only about 1 million jobs in the East African country. The majority of the population works in the informal sector, and it can be difficult for them to find customers. Biscate offers a digital solution - without the need for internet, data or smartphones.
Together they are stronger: In many African countries, young men and women are coming together to form youth organisations. These organisations help young people in rural areas to earn a living in the agricultural and food sector, creating prospects for the future in rural areas.
gebana, a Swiss fair trade company, follows the principle of "sharing" with its corporate philosophy: farming families in the Global South participate directly in the sales of their online shop. Caroline Schaar, Marketing at gebana, explains the company's approach.
German and Ugandan women farmers come together in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to exchange experiences – from modern milking systems to the challenges of women's participation in agricultural decision-making. Amid goats, lavender ice cream, and engaging discussions, one thing becomes clear: women can achieve great things together, across borders and generations.
African countries still face huge gender gaps in terms of access to work and capital. What are the consequences of Corona for women in Africa? Jan Rübel interviewed Léa Rouanet on lockdowns and gender-based violence. The economist works at the Africa Gender Innovation Lab of the World Bank.
Shortly before ending his position as Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPR) Dr. Shenggen Fan talks about the reforms and new modes of operation needed to achieve global food security in the coming decade.
Oxfam’s supermarket scorecard, which is in its third year, shows one thing in particular - it works! Supermarkets can change their business policies and focus more on the rights of those people around the world who plant and harvest food. However, this does not happen without pressure.
When women have control over the resources of a household and manage the income, it usually leads to a more balanced and healthier diet for the family. But often the decision-making power lies with the men. How can this gender inequality be addressed? The GIZ global project Food Security and Resilience provides insights into project work on gender-transformative approaches finances by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Rose Okello is a Matoke farmer and single mother living in a village near Mbarara, a town in southern Uganda. To ensure that she can pay for her family's food, her children's school fees and other expenses on time, Rose uses various financial services. Her story portrays hurdles but also hope for women in agribusiness.
In Togo’s capital, Lomé, home-grown rice costs almost twice as much as the imported product from Thailand. Yet there are good reasons for preferring the local product
Jehiel Oliver was a successful consultant. One day, he quit his job in investment banking to become a social entrepreneur. His mission: tractors for Africa. Rental tractors. What gave him that idea? Find out in his interview with Jan Rübel.
Small farmers are often left behind in African agriculture. Access to markets and improved competitiveness can only be achieved if the small farms join forces. But those affected in partner countries are often at a loss as to how to implement cooperative models. Here, the BMZ provides support through the SEWOH ONE World – NO Hunger initiative and the Social Structure Promotion (Sozialstrukturförderung).
A project by Deutscher Genossenschafts- und Raiffeisenverband e. V.
The consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine have enabled many countries to open up new export markets for their agricultural goods. However, smallholder farms have been largely left out. Drawing on his experience in India, our author gives a brief overview of how this can be changed.
How can rural economies become viable and modern? William Madudike, youth representative of the Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) and a potato farmer himself, examines this question. He argues that the whole rural economy and actors from producers to consumers need to be considered. An interview on the initiative role of youth.
Partnerships are needed to face the multiple shocks for food systems. This is what Dr. Jacqueline Mkindi, president of the Agriculture Council Tanzania (ACT) and CEO of the Tanzanian Horticulture Association (TAHA) states.
Data security, financing, the automation of loans and the use of alternative data - the digitalisation of financial services in the agricultural sector has many facets, which an international conference with representatives of the agricultural finance sector in Zambia addressed. But how does the digitalisation of financial services contribute to rural development and the inclusion of women?
Women can play a vital role in the change process both when it comes to climate protection and adapting to climate change. But the reality is often still not quite like this: women and girls are particularly badly affected by the climate crisis. Is the topic of gender getting enough attention at the upcoming climate conference? Questions for Bettina Jahn from UN Women Germany.
In the midst of global climate discussions, a resounding call emerges: Women's land rights must be the cornerstone of our climate actions. They're not just pieces of the puzzle; they form the foundation for true climate resilience. TMG Think Tank for Sustainability reports from the first African Climate Summit.
Women and girls in poorer countries are affected in particular ways by the multiple crises the world is currently facing. Uncovering the linkages between gender, resilience and food security, experts from International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) look at ways to support women and girls’ capacity to respond to crises.
Agriculture as it is currently practiced erodes soils worldwide up to 100 times faster than they can be regenerated by natural processes. In the #HerLand campaign for COP16, the UNCCD is focusing on women as key players in conserving soils and combating drought. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has also contributed to the campaign focusing on securing women's land rights.
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