Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in the MENA Agro-Food Sector through Social and Technological Innovation
To empower women entrepreneurs with the tools, knowledge, and networks to innovate in agro-food systems and influence policy transformation.
- Strengthen entrepreneurial and innovation skills tailored to women in agri-food value chains.
- Share gender-sensitive technologies and climate-smart solutions applicable to small and medium enterprises.
- Build a network of change-makers across MENA focused on inclusive food systems.
- Launch a participatory stakeholder dialogue to shape a Regional Innovation Agenda for women in agro-food.
Women across the MENA region are central to food systems as producers, processors, innovators, and knowledge holders. Yet, entrenched barriers continue to restrict their full participation in agro-food value chains. These include limited access to land and finance, poor representation in cooperatives and decision-making structures, exclusion from innovation ecosystems, and gender-blind agricultural policies.
At a time when Mediterranean countries face converging crises—from climate volatility to food insecurity and youth unemployment—women-led innovation holds the potential to transform agro-food systems and drive sustainable development.
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), with the financial support of AECID (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo) and in collaboration with CIHEAM, the FAO Regional Office for Near East and North Africa and the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (EI/AUC Egypt), is organizing a two-day Stakeholder Dialogue and Training Workshop in Cairo on 21–22 October 2025.
This gathering is a milestone in co-designing a Regional Agenda on Innovation for Women Entrepreneurs in Agro-Food Value Chains.
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