DRC: Rural Women Empowerment in Eastern DRC Through the Beans Value Chain

Oct 21, 2024 | Bola Amoke Awotide, Julie Ntamwinja, and Lucky Kalisya
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On International Rural Women's Day (October 15, 2024), the 'Beans for Women Empowerment' project (B4WE) celebrates the resilience, strength, and contributions of rural women across the world.

Rural women are the backbone of agricultural activities in Africa, playing critical roles not only as producers but also in the transportation, marketing, and processing of farm produce. Despite their crucial contribution to agricultural value chains, they face numerous challenges that hinder their empowerment. Madam Sibasuri shared her struggles in cultivating beans to feed her family and earn a small income to meet other household needs. One significant barrier is her lack of access to land, as she cannot rent or purchase land without her husband’s permission. Moreover, she lacks the decision-making power regarding what to produce, how to produce it, and how to spend the income generated from her farming efforts. These challenges, among many others, are common obstacles faced by rural women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).