The business case for women’s leadership is clear. But little data exists on small and growing enterprises, especially in emerging economies. Even less data is available on the agricultural industry—a sector that 2.5 billion people globally depend on for their livelihoods, and one in which women receive only 7% of total investment.
Through an analysis of 10 years of Root Capital’s global data, Inclusion Pays: The Returns on Investing in Women in Agriculture sheds new light on the benefits—to women, businesses, and investors—of investing in women in agriculture.
Key Findings
Drawing on data from more than $1 billion in investments to 552 agricultural enterprises across Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Indonesia over the last 10 years, Root Capital found that businesses with greater levels of women’s participation are:
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Root Capital launched the Women in Agriculture Initiative (WAI) in 2012 to identify and address the systemic inequities that rural women face. Since then, the WAI has grown to an organization-wide strategy reaching more than 550,000 women farmers and employees across the globe.
To learn more about how you can partner with Root Capital’s Women in Agriculture Initiative, please contact Scott McDonald, Chief External Affairs Officer, at smcdonald@rootcapital.org.
Media Inquiries: To speak to a gender lens investing expert and/or female agricultural business leader about these findings, please contact Kristin Williams at kristin@emccommunications.com or (617)794-4525.