The African Development Bank (AfDB) in its Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative has signed a partnership agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to increase incomes and facilitate access to finance for thousands of Ivorian small holder farmers in the staple food sector.

The three-year advisory project aims to support large informal organizations and smallholder women farmers to formalize their business and harness opportunities of trade. The women agri-preneurs will also receive training on technical, business, financial and contracting skills because a majority of them lack access to financial training and skills, limited knowledge on markets  and required standards which limits  their incomes and growth opportunity.

IFC and AfDB will work directly with financial institutions in Cote d’ Ivoire to enable understand and meet women’s financing partnership needs. The Cote d’ Ivore Government will also a play a key role in improving the business environment through legal, regulatory and institutional reforms.

More information about this partnership is available at: https://pressroom.ifc.org/all/pages/PressDetail.aspx?ID=26424