Agritech for Women Farmers 2024

While agritech has taken centre stage focus across global agricultural systems, participation of women in this ecosystem is still restricted, and women farmers often have low adoption rates of agritech. For instance, while women represent close to 50% of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, they make up only 25% of agritech users.15 Interviews with sector experts highlight that, traditionally, women have not been seen as primary customers of agritech, and most efforts to make technology accessible to them have focused on charity or social impact. Agritech can help improve access for women farmers. However, treating gender-inclusive tech solely as a social issue rather than a business priority risks undermining long-term agricultural productivity, household income and missing out on a valuable customer segment for businesses. A notable example of how access to resources improves well-being is financial inclusion in India. With a push on financial inclusion under the Government of India’s Jan Dhan Scheme, it is estimated that the lifetime revenue of female bank account holders is 12% more than that of male customers. It is estimated that public sector banks could attract approximately $2.9 billion in deposits by serving 100 million low-income women across the country.16 By shifting to gender-inclusive agricultural technologies, sector stakeholders can empower women, contribute to holistic rural development and ensure long-term food security. Furthermore, by studying the unique challenges faced by women in agriculture and developing technology solutions that circumvent or address them, businesses can unlock a vast and largely untapped market opportunity. This shift will not only contribute to a more sustainable and resilient agricultural ecosystem with higher productivity but also position gender-inclusive agritech as a strategic business imperative for the private sector. Gender-inclusive agritech BOX 2 In this report, gender-inclusive agritech refers to agricultural technology and practices designed to address the needs, challenges and opportunities of both men and women with the view to promote gender equality between men and women farmers.17This approach includes creating digital solutions that are accessible and easy to use for women, offering training and support to enable uptake of these digital solutions, and building environments where these technologies can enhance women’s involvement in agricultural decision-making processes. Report objectives and methodology This report analyses gender inclusivity in agritech as a smart business approach aimed at sustainably serving a critical customer segment, women farmers, nearly 50% of the serviceable market. In doing so, the report also highlights key principles through which agritech companies can capture this market share while driving innovation and growth in the sector. The report primarily seeks to: 1. Present challenges that must be addressed to enable the uptake of agritech among women. 2. Build a business case for gender-inclusive agritech. 3. Identify opportunities and recommendations for sector stakeholders in developing and delivering gender-inclusive agritech. The report uses a mixed-methods approach combining primary data collection through personal interviews with secondary research. It is based on interactions with over 20 organizations working in the agritech space across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, including agricultural corporates, technology service providers and innovators, multilateral organizations, non-profits and governments. The respondents represented a diverse spectrum of industries, including fintech, insurance companies, input suppliers and marketplaces. The respondents were selected based on their focus on working with women farmers and promoting women’s participation in the agricultural technology sector. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with founders, executives and programme managers from each organization to gain insights into their strategies, challenges and best practices for promoting gender inclusivity. In addition to the primary data, extensive secondary research was also carried out, reviewing relevant literature, reports and case studies on gender and agriculture, with a specific focus on the role of technology in promoting inclusivity. Agritech for Women Farmers: A Business Case for Inclusive Growth 7