Key Highlights
- Winners of the 2023 Women Agripreneur of the Year Awards were selected from a pool of 1,340 candidates spanning 42 African countries
- Women are the backbone of agriculture in Africa. They comprise over 50 percent of agricultural labour force in developing countries
- This year’s heroines hail from from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal received a total of US85,000 in grant funding
The 2023 Women Agripreneur of the Year Awards (WAYA2023) have been announced at the Africa Food Systems Forum, AGRF2023, held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. These awards celebrate the exceptional women who have illuminated the path to excellence through their groundbreaking innovations driving transformative growth in the agricultural sector across Africa.
Empowering Women in Agriculture
Women are the backbone of agriculture in Africa, constituting over 50% of the agricultural labor force in developing countries. Recognizing the importance of ensuring equal opportunities for women smallholder farmers, the Value4her initiative was established to appreciate and support women in agripreneurship.
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This year’s award recipients hail from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal, and they received a total of US $85,000 in grant funding across several categories, including Outstanding Value Adding Enterprise, Female Ag Tech Innovator, Young Female Agripreneur (Rising Star), and the Grand Prize.
A Legacy of Recognition
The Women Agripreneur of the Year Awards (WAYA), now in its third edition, was launched in 2021 as part of AGRA’s VALUE4HER program. WAYA aims to recognize women agripreneurs from across the continent who have excelled in different segments of the agricultural value chain and have shown remarkable innovation in their businesses.
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These awards create visibility for successful women, serve as positive role models, stimulate innovation, and foster ambition among African women agripreneurs.
Excellence Across Africa
This year’s exceptional winners were selected from a pool of 1,340 candidates spanning 42 African countries. These women have demonstrated their commitment to shaping the future of agri-food systems through pioneering new ideas, technologies, and sustainable practices that positively impact their communities.
The selection process was led by a panel of experienced judges from diverse backgrounds, including representatives from Corteva, international banking, dairy, gender programs, and agricultural organizations.
A Message of Inspiration
Speaking at the Awards ceremony, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President of AGRA, congratulated the laureates for their dedication to transforming challenges into opportunities and reshaping the landscape of Africa’s agro-food systems.
She emphasized the remarkable stories of resilience, innovation, and unwavering dedication demonstrated by these women, highlighting their contributions to food security, climate adaptation, economic growth, and sustainable development.
Meet the 2023 Winners
- Grand Prize Winner: Siny Samba, CEO, Le Lionceau (Senegal) Le Lionceau Website Recognizing the female-owned agri-business that exhibits the best innovations in the agri-business sector across all categories.
- Young Female Agripreneur (Rising Star): Lucy Chioma Aniagolu, Founder, Agrodemy Enterprises (Nigeria) Agrodemy Enterprises Website Recognizing high-potential young females (below 35 years) demonstrating innovation and leadership in agribusiness.
- Female Ag Tech Innovator: Maryanne Ruguru Gichanga, Director, AgriTech Analytics (Kenya) AgriTech Analytics Website Recognizing female agripreneurs championing technological advancement in agribusiness.
- Outstanding Value-adding Enterprise: Bernice Dapaah, CEO, Bright Generation Community Foundation-Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative (Ghana) Bright Generation Community Foundation Website Recognizing female-owned agribusinesses that are increasing the economic value and/or consumer appeal of agricultural products.
Empowering African Women Agripreneurs
The VALUE4HER Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards (WAYA) is a prestigious recognition initiative led by AGRA, launched in 2021 as part of AGRA’s flagship VALUE4HER program. The initiative empowers women agripreneurs across Africa, celebrating their achievements within the agricultural value chains and their remarkable contributions to food security, climate resilience, and the empowerment of women and youth.
Through WAYA, AGRA aims to inspire and empower a new generation of women agripreneurs, driving sustainable and impactful change in the agricultural sector across Africa.
About VALUE4HER
VALUE4HER is AGRA’s continental initiative aimed at increasing the performance of women agri-enterprises by providing access to markets and trade, finance and investments, knowledge and skills, networking, and building women’s collective voice. The initiative is powered by VALUE4HERConnect, Africa’s first integrated digital resource for women in agribusiness, designed to assist women agri-enterprises in transcending gender and market entry barriers through digital technologies.
For more information, visit VALUE4HERConnect.
About AGRA
Founded in 2006, AGRA is an African-led, African-based organization dedicated to catalyzing Agricultural Transformation in Africa. AGRA focuses on placing smallholder farmers at the center of Africa’s growing economy by transforming agriculture from a solitary struggle to survive into a thriving business.
Recognizing that smallholder agriculture employs the majority of Africa’s population, AGRA strives to develop smallholder agriculture into a productive, efficient, and sustainable system to ensure food security, alleviate poverty, and promote equitable growth across the continent.
Visit the AGRA website to learn more about AGRA’s mission and initiatives.
