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The Leading African Women in Food Fellowship (LAWFF) has unveiled its 2025 cohort, selecting 32 exceptional women agripreneurs from 11 African countries.
The announcement was made by LAWFF Programme Lead, Adanna Imadfidor, in a press statement on Tuesday.
LAWFF also launched the Leading AgriWomen Voices (LAV) Book, a publication spotlighting the contributions of African women in shaping the continent’s food ecosystem.
The virtual launch event, held on March 10 to mark International Women’s Day (IWD), featured influential speakers such as Ndidi Nwuneli and Agnes Konde. The event aligned with this year’s IWD theme, “Accelerate Action”, emphasizing the urgent need for greater investment in women-led agricultural enterprises.
Imadfidor said the persistent challenges faced by women in agriculture, despite their indispensable roles as laborers, innovators, market influencers, and climate strategists. She highlighted systemic barriers such as restricted access to land, financial resources, and leadership opportunities.
“According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), ensuring women’s equal access to agricultural resources could boost global food production by 30%, potentially feeding an additional 150 million people. Yet, women remain underrepresented in leadership and largely excluded from high-capital agricultural investments,” she stated.
To address these disparities, LAWFF is advocating for Gender-inclusive agricultural policies that promote land ownership, financing, and market access for women, Investment beyond microloans, Technology solutions tailored for women, Greater representation in leadership, positioning women in decision-making roles across the agriculture sector.
The programme Lead said since its inception, LAWFF has trained and mentored women across Africa, providing them with industry networks and global visibility. In 2023, the program selected 25 fellows from 640 nominations across 12 countries, while the 2024 cohort included 30 fellows from 10 nations.
“This year, LAWFF received 1,154 nominations, the highest in its history, and awarded fellowships to 32 exceptional women agripreneurs. The fellowship will equip them with expert-led training, mentorship, and access to an alumni network, strengthening their ability to drive innovation and sustainability in Africa’s food sector,” Imadfidor noted.
The program also introduced new award categories to recognize excellence in agribusiness, including: Disruptors, Trailblazers, Food/Beverage Narrative Changers, Top Chefs in Africa, Ecosystem Enablers.
A key highlight of the LAV Book launch was the unveiling of the Leading AgriWomen Voices (LAV) Book, a collection of insights and strategies from African women driving change in the agricultural sector.
Imadfidor noted that the book which is available for download on the LAWFF website, will be distributed to policy influencers, investors, and key stakeholders to shape policies and investment decisions that support women in agribusiness.