Rwanda's Adelaide: 'Farming is not about getting dirty'

Today we’re celebrating rural women: it’s Rural Women’s Day!

Women represent 50+% of all IFAD project participants. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) provides them with training, financial and technical skills, access to markets, rural finance and decent employment opportunities. Because inequalities not only affect their well-being and economic empowerment, but also the resilience of food systems. By closing gender gaps in access to agricultural inputs and wages this would increase global GDP by 1 per cent - that's nearly US$1 trillion. 

In Rwanda the R-YES project, part of IFAD’s Integrated Agribusiness Hub Programme, is providing training and funds to women like Adelaide. Despite her degree, she found it difficult to get a stable job. Through the project, she received business and technical training, as well as funds to repair and use a derelict greenhouse. Now, she’s at the helm of a successful agri-business which uses technology to monitor gardens – and she's is already employing 5 people.

The project has trained over 1,500 youth so far in 17 districts through partnerships with Rwanda Polytechnic, the TVET Board, and agribusinesses — resulting in over 20,000 jobs created.

More on IFAD’s work with rural youth: https://www.ifad.org/en/rural-youth