Women’s Empowerment - ACENSIA

Empowering Women as a Business Approach

Women’s empowerment is central to our mission as a social enterprise. We believe that increasing women’s economic participation will lead to financial success for our business and households. Integrating women into our value chains is a transformative strategy for ACENSIA’s business growth. Women constitute a significant portion of the agricultural workforce globally, yet they often face systemic barriers to fully participating in the sector. ACENSIA is focused on increasing women’s access to resources, training, and leadership opportunities.

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Women in the Digital Economy: In our commitment to fostering inclusive economic growth and leveraging the potential of digital technologies, ACENSIA has prioritized initiatives focusing on women in the digital economy. ACENSIA plans offers free access to e-commerce platforms for rural women, aiming to empower them economically and promote gender equality online. Our programs aim to address barriers and create opportunities for women to thrive in the digital era.

Our Women's Empowerment Strategy

Protecting Shea Parkland: The Shea value chain is a major business sector for ACENSIA. Shea is an important source of income for many rural women in northern Ghana. Despite the economic benefits, the shea value chain is under threat due to increased deforestation. ACENSIA is joining the fight to safeguard Shea Parklands and promote a sustainable Shea value chain.

ACENSIA has developed a market-based incentive that rewards shea collectors who sustainably harvest shea products and protect shea. This is aimed at incentivizing conservation efforts and rewarding communities for their stewardship of shea parklands. We are also encouraging reforestation efforts and the integration of shea trees into agroforestry systems to restore degraded landscapes and enhance biodiversity.

Market Linkage: Access to high-value markets is a crucial component of our strategy to empower women in agriculture. We connect women to the market by buying directly from them at the community level or connecting them with other buyers and serve as intermediaries to ensure fair pricing. We leveraging ICT to provide women farmers with access to information on market prices, trends, and demand forecasts. This information will empower women to make informed decisions about what to produce, when to sell, and where to sell their products, thereby optimizing their market participation and profitability.

We facilitate and assist women farmers in meeting regulatory requirements and obtaining certifications that enable them to access premium markets.

Women in leadership: Our agricultural services are designed to be gender-responsive, ensuring they reach women farmers with relevant information, training, and support tailored to their needs and constraints. We promote women’s leadership and empowerment through programs that build their confidence, advocacy skills, and capacity to participate in decision-making forums within agricultural organizations and community structures.

Micro-financing: Our micro-financing efforts are strategically designed to empower communities through the mobilization of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs). We aim to enhance financial literacy and encourage savings among female clients. This approach not only strengthens financial access but also promotes a culture of savings and resilience.

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