Women in Agriculture: Making Africa’s Unsung Sheroes Visible

Across Africa, millions of women in agriculture wake up every day to plant, harvest, process, trade, innovate, and lead in agriculture. They manage farms. They run agribusinesses. They launch agritech startups. They feed families, communities, and nations.

And yet, their stories are still rarely told.

At Africa Agricultural Network (AAN), we believe that visibility is not a luxury, it is a tool for change. That is why we are proud to launch Women in Agriculture, a new continental storytelling initiative dedicated to identifying, profiling, and celebrating the women who are driving African agriculture forward.

This initiative is about more than features and interviews. It is about recognition. It is about connection. And it is about shifting the narrative around who is building Africa’s food systems.

The Invisible Backbone of African Agriculture

Women make up a significant share of Africa’s agricultural workforce. In many regions, they are responsible for most of the food production, processing, and local trade. They are farmers, traders, processors, innovators, researchers, exporters, and CEOs.

Yet despite their scale and impact, women in agriculture often face:
• Limited visibility
• Reduced access to capital and markets
• Fewer leadership opportunities
• And little representation in mainstream media

Their work sustains families and economies but their voices rarely reach beyond their communities.

Women in Agriculture by AAN exists to change that!

What Is the Women in Agriculture Initiative?

Women in Agriculture is a storytelling and media platform within Africa Agricultural Network that will:

• Identify women doing meaningful work across the agricultural value chain
• Profile their journeys, businesses, and impact
• Share their stories through written features, video content, and social media
• Connect them to opportunities, audiences, and networks

We will highlight:
– Smallholder farmers
– Agribusiness owners
– Exporters and processors
– Agritech founders
– Researchers and innovators
– CEOs and industry leaders

From seed to scale. From farms to boardrooms.

Why Storytelling Matters

Stories shape perception. And perception shapes opportunity.

When women are visible, they become:
• Role models to younger generations
• Proof that leadership in agriculture is possible
• Signals to investors, partners, and institutions
• Anchors of credibility in the ecosystem

By telling these stories, AAN is not just creating content, we are building representation infrastructure for African women in agriculture.

We want young girls to see what’s possible.
We want investors to see where value is being created.
We want policymakers to see who is already doing the work.

And we want the women themselves to feel seen, celebrated, and supported.

What Will a Feature Look Like?

Each feature will explore:
• Her background and journey into agriculture
• What she is building and why it matters
• The challenges she has faced
• The impact she is creating
• Her vision for the future of African agriculture

The tone will be engaging, accessible, and human without losing the seriousness of the work.

Because agriculture is not boring.
And the women building it certainly aren’t.

Opening Nominations Across Africa

This is a continental initiative and we want it to be community-powered.

We are now opening nominations for Women in Agriculture features across all African countries.

Do you know a woman who is doing incredible work in agriculture?
Or are you that woman?

You can nominate by sending nominations to: https://bit.ly/NominateWomenInAgriculture

Every nomination helps us find and amplify the voices shaping Africa’s food future.

AAN’s Commitment to Women in Agriculture

Africa Agricultural Network exists to bridge the information, visibility, and opportunity gaps in African agriculture. Women in Agriculture is a core part of that mission. Let’s make African women in agriculture visible, celebrated, and connected.