Women Food Entrepreneurs in Kenya and Burkina Faso – WFE

Project description

Aim: The project WFE aims to strengthen women’s food entrepreneurship in city slums in Kenya & Burkina Faso, by building inclusive business models for food security. based on an integrated understanding of the complex interactions between soil quality, food production and quality and nutrition for vulnerable groups.

Objective: Boosting women’s production, processing and trading of quality foods in Africa’s growing cities can improve food and nutrition security of vulnerable populations. This inter- and trans-disciplinary project examines opportunities and constraints, field-tests innovative food production and processing methods, and designs inclusive business models for women food entrepreneurs.

Method: The project has a transdisciplinary team of social and natural scientists, Dutch, Kenyan and Burkinabé entrepreneurs, government and civil society actors, and community-based women groups. Through a comparative analysis between Kisumu and Ouagadougou, this project address the constraints faced by women as: (i) food producers in (peri-)urban gardens; (ii) food processors; and (iii) food marketeers, within diversified physical, environmental, social and policy contexts. The project (a) co-designs and field-tests hybrid food production and processing technologies; and (b) enhance and promote women’s business knowledge and skills through inclusive business models.

Summary of first year progress: During a vibrant project kick-off meeting in Kenya the inter-disciplinary focus of the research was re-ascertained in detail. Two social science PhDs (one for Kisumu; one for Ouagadougou) teamed up with the natural science PhD (studying Kisumu & Ouagadougou) in their first field-familiarizing visits. Collaboration was sought in each location, through participatory workshops, with three urban WFE groups.

Countries: Kenya and Burkina Faso

Dutch policy goal: Inclusive business models for food security.

Duration: November 01, 2015 – October 14, 2019

(source: http://knowledge4food.net/research-project/women-food-entrepreneurs-in-kenya-and-burkina-faso/ )