Nigeria: From Rice to Riches

On 1 October 2020, the UN marks 25 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – a blueprint to advance women’s rights. But according to the Gender Equality report  there’s still a long way to go. Only one in four managers are women, and women aged 25-34 are still 25 per cent more likely than men to live in extreme poverty.

Rural women make up 43 per cent of the agricultural labour force but often lack access to resources, technology and markets. With support from IFAD, the rice processing women of Kongatora in Nigeria are pandemic-preneurs. Not only have they survived, but their business has thrived.