CGIAR System Organization - Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers

08/21/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 08/21/2024 21:50

CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator entrepreneur spotlight

Beyond the fields: Restoring the lost voices of women in agriculture

Gender-responsive scaling is directed towards creating mechanisms, programs or policies that allow for adaptable, innovative approaches that align with opportunities for business expansion. To achieve 'inclusive' scaling, however, the unique needs, challenges and experiences of men, women, youth, and other socially marginalised groups need to be equally considered. Businesses play a key role in fostering gender and social inclusion, which, to them, is a business issue, rather than a women or youth issue. By being more inclusive, businesses contribute to sustainable development and social impact and enjoy enhanced reputation and customer loyalty, increased innovation and diverse perspectives in business operations, access to broader markets and potential funding opportunities.

In the heart of Zambia, a remarkable woman and entrepreneur demonstrates the power of gender-responsive scaling in a practical way. Mirriam Nalomba, the director of ShaisFoods Ltd. is a visionary who has dedicated her life and work to improving the health and well-being of women, particularly those who are pregnant and lactating, through her innovative nutritional flour business. At the core of the company's philosophy is a commitment to gender equality and social inclusion (GESI). She believes that empowering women is key to sustainable development. By prioritizing women's health, she promotes gender equality and ensures that her business is inclusive and supportive of all women. She has championed gender equality and social inclusion since the inception of her business, by curating a workspace that encourages a level field of participation and income generation for women, men, and the youth. From the onset, her business has addressed the unique needs of women, especially those who are expectant, lactating and have children below 5 years of age.

We reflect on Mirriam Nalomba's journey, which is a testament to the transformative power of gender-responsive scaling, premised on an inclusive work environment and resulting in a ripple effect towards financial freedom. Having started, ShaisFoods Ltd from her own home, she nurtured her agribusiness for six years, a period that required unwavering family support and buy-in. The initial impact was profound: providing a source of income and providing daily meals to the employees that she started this journey with; she emphasized the need to curate a working environment that is reflective of a family unit and guided values such as hard work, accountability, and equality. With the business flourishing, so did her team, growing from five dedicated women to a strong collective of ten. The impact went far beyond a paycheque and translated into tangible improvements in the lives and livelihoods of smallholder farmers, her employees, and consumers; school fees were paid, uniforms were, and a new level of financial independence unlocked.

"As a woman you need to be independent and have a unique identity aside from being a wife, mother, and sister. We need to be encouraged to seek financial freedom, and this is possible through changing one's mindset and unlocking your potential."

- Mirriam Nalomba, Director, ShaisFoods Ltd.

The company has implemented several Gender and Social inclusion practices across its various business functions. Firstly, in terms of consumers and recognizing the critical nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating women, Mirriam set out to create a product that supports maternal health and infant development. Her business offers a range of fortified flours, packed with essential vitamins and minerals, designed to ensure that both mothers and their babies receive the nutrition they need. Additionally, through out-grower schemes the company engages 5,000 small-holder farmers, 80 percent of whom are women and through her "To Grow Scheme," she championed pay equality, ensuring women received the same compensation as their male counterparts - by changing the perception that the role of women is limited to farm level activities such as planting, harvesting and tending to crops. Through leveraging mobile payment services, she increased women's access to and control over their earnings. Over and above the company being female founded and led, it has a team of 22 employees, majority of who are youth and with only 9 being women. This is one of the challenges to inclusion that Mirriam is currently facing. With the growth in the business, she needed to implement night shifts, which unfortunately many women cannot engage in due to domestic responsibilities.

Starting a business is never easy, and Mirriam faced her fair share of challenges. From securing funding to navigating the complexities of product development and managing the intricacies of running a family business her journey was filled with obstacles. Yet, her determination and resilience saw her through. Today, she celebrates numerous milestones, including expanding her product line and reaching more women across Zambia. Her advice to fellow entrepreneurs is to ensure they create equal access to opportunities for men, women, and youth, emphasizing that not only will this help address the most urgent social problems, but it is the only way that businesses can grow sustainably.

Image: ShaisFood product range. Credit: ShaisFood Limited

As Mirriam continues to build her business, her journey underscores a crucial point: success in entrepreneurship hinges on mindset. Mirriam is passionate about inspiring other women to follow her. She shares valuable advice with aspiring entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of resilience, innovation, and a commitment to gender equality and social inclusion. Her message is clear: By empowering women, we create stronger communities and a brighter future for all. A positive, can-do attitude can be the wind beneath your wings, propelling you towards your goals.

Through the work of the CGIAR Initiative on Diversification in East and Southern Africa (ESA), popularly known as Ukama Ustawi (UU), Work Package 3 (WP3) and Work Package 5 (WP5) are empowering agripreneurs like Mirriam to scale up and scale out innovative solutions through science-based technical assistance and the co-creation of inclusive agribusiness models. Under UU's overarching goal of sustainably diversifying and intensifying maize-mixed systems in ESA, WP3 and WP5 are specifically focused on supporting and accelerating value chain agribusiness enablers and promoting gender, equality, and social inclusion in multifunctional landscapes. These interventions are helping strengthen agribusiness ecosystems by building capacity for climate-smart agriculture, accelerating agribusiness growth, and improving access to financing.

Featured image: ShaisFood Limited proprietor Mirriam Nalomba and some of the products they offer. Credit: Mirriam Nalomba

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