Through the Gender Climate Change and Agriculture Support Programme (GCCASP), the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) organises Conferences for Women in Agribusiness. Deliberate effort has been made to enable the Conferences consider and interact around the challenges as well

as opportunities arising out of climate change and climate variability. The Conferences are a direct response to the African Union Summit's call to enhance

support for preferential entry and participation for women and youth in gainful and attractive agri-business opportunities (2014 AU Malabo Declaration and Commitment to Halving Poverty, by the year 2025, through Inclusive Agricultural Growth and Transformation).

This Catalogue for African Women in Agribusiness is one of the tools for supporting women in agribusiness by enhancing networking opportunities and exposing them to potential buyers, funders, investors, partners, mentors and policy makers by the AUDA-NEPAD. Supporting women in agribusiness is one of the sure ways of ensuring that the continent's women population is empowered for transformation.

The Conference for Women in Agribusiness is a continental platform within the Gender Climate Change and Agriculture Support Programme (GCCASP) of the AUDA-NEPAD, the implementing arm of the African Union. The platform brings together women farmers and entrepreneurs within the agriculture-agribusiness arena from across the continent to share information, ideas, knowledge and best practices through policy dialogue, capacity building (training) for entrepreneurial development,  exhibitions of goods processed by women entrepreneurs and peer learning through field visits.

The Conference is a direct response to the African Union Summit’s call to enhance support for preferential entry and participation for women and youth in gainful and attractive agri-businesss opportunities (AU Malabo Declaration and Commitment to Halving Poverty, by the year 2025, through Inclusive Agricultural Growth and Transformation; 2014).

Women’s economic participation and empowerment in agriculture will bring direct benefits to women. This will also have a strong impact on reducing poverty and promoting economic growth and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).