PRESS RELEASE: LadyAgri Brings African Women's Voices to New York City in time for World Trade Week
New York, NY - LadyAgri Impact Investment Hub founders, Hilary Barry (Ireland) and Ayélé S.Gabiam (Togo), will bring the voices of thousands of African women agricultural entrepreneurs to New York City from May 1st to 5th where they will attend the official launch of their philanthropic fund hosted by The King Baudouin Foundation USA. Their call to action: "With a global food crisis and climate disruption, now is the time to get serious about supporting women. Investing in Women agri-entrepreneurs and their SME’s across the African continent is simply smart economics! It’s good for US-Africa trade, creating decent jobs for women and youth on both continents.”
“LadyAgri shares Mayor Eric Adams vision that both African-USA SME’s will greatly benefit from closer ties, partnerships and ‘win-win’ opportunities” says founder and Secretary General, Hilary Barry, “It makes sense as there is a strong business case to invest in women led SME partnerships in agri-food, agri-services, technology, packaging, logistics and agri-tech solutions on both sides of the Atlantic”. Hilary was born and bred in Ireland and has worked in Africa since she was 17, she is convinced that “women can lead the way on building these economic ties ensuring we move from ‘aid to trade’ and together reach the sustainable development goals”.
The Irish sustainable food strategy, “Food Vision 2030”, has greatly influenced Hilary’s vision for inclusive economic and green business models for women in Africa. She says, from her experience across the African continent from Senegal,Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroun and most recently Democratic Republic of Congo, that “when directly supported, women guarantee three fold impact for their businesses and create a rising tide for women farmers in their supply chain and surrounding communities. LadyAgri ensures these women are visible, valued and heard for their true contribution as drivers of the local and international food systems and socially inclusive economic growth.”
LadyAgri Impact Investment Hub is a non-profit association uniting a network of international expertise, innovative tools, and technologies and is built on over three decades of experience in Africa. Their multicultural and multi-sectoral expertise has inspired LadyAgri’ s holistic three pillar methodology: 1) access for women to tailor made agri-business technical assistance and mentoring, 2) access to appropriate agri-business financial services, patient investment and 3) finally access to technology, modern equipment, and markets. Their three pillar approach provides women the necessary support and resources to structure and grow their SMEs and cooperatives into mature and resilient agri-businesses to climate shocks, creating decent jobs, producing safe nutritious food and growing women’s marketshare.
Co-founder Ayele S. Gabiam, born in Togo and a confirmed pan Africanist underlines,“ the African diaspora have a key role to play in the emergence of a vibrant African economy where women agri-entrepreneurs may build momentum in their businesses. The success and full economic empowerment of women will determine whether we will reach the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals. There is no time to lose as the deadline draws ever near”.
In launching in NYC, LadyAgri will make a call to action to “Rebuild, Renew and Reinvent new solutions focusing on women in African agri value chains as they are ‘the guardians of sustainable food security, clean energy, and climate-resilient agriculture solutions.” With over 230 specialized field experts across Africa, a database of over 3500 women led SME’s responsible for 132,000 women agri-food employees and women farmers, LadyAgri creates innovative solutions for women who are faced with real, systemic problems in their everyday lives.
The King Baudouin Foundation “Friends of LadyAgri fund”, finances innovative climate smart solutions and access to technology for women led SME’s and cooperatives across Africa.
For more information on their projects and impact, visit LadyAgri's website to download their brochure.
Contact:
Hilary Barry / Ayélé Gabiam
Email: hilary@lady-agri.org / ayele@lady-agri.org
To Register for the KBF Launch on 2nd of May click here
Watch LadyAgri’s latest video here
