Africa's climate adaptation goals are at risk unless systemic barriers facing women in agribusiness are tackled in a holistic approach, a new evidence-based policy brief by NexGen Deutsche-Afrik (NEDEA) has warned.

The report, titled The Gender Lens in Climate-Resilient Agribusiness, reveals that while women constitute approximately 76% of the agrifood workforce in Sub-Saharan Africa, they remain the most vulnerable to climate shocks due to long-standing structural inequalities.

Tanzania as a case study

A major concern highlighted in the report is the alarming disparity in land ownership. In Tanzania, women make up 69% of the agricultural workforce but own only 2% of registered land.

"This imbalance affects access to technology, training, irrigation systems, and extension services all of which are critical for climate adaptation. The cumulative effect is that women-led agribusinesses often lack the financial buffers, productive assets, and institutional support to withstand climate shocks," the report states.

Women's central role in agrifood systems

The report emphasised that resilience in agribusiness is not only an environmental challenge, but also deeply social.

"The gendered nature of climate vulnerability is not incidental; it is systemic," said Michael Osei, NEDEA Research Assistant and PhD student in Climate Change and Agriculture.

Key findings

The report identifies a US$96 billion gap in financing for Africa's agri-SMEs, with women-led businesses experiencing the highest loan rejection rates. On the digital front, women in Sub-Saharan Africa are nearly 30% less likely to use mobile internet, cutting them off from essential early-warning weather alerts.

The report also highlights the burden of unpaid labour climate-induced droughts increase household burdens, further reducing the time women can spend on adaptation training or agribusiness management.

Call to action

As Ghana and Germany deepen their agricultural partnerships through GIZ and BMZ, NEDEA argues that gender-responsive climate finance must be a priority. The report calls for de-risked credit lines, legal reforms for land rights, and the inclusion of women in high-level climate governance.

"Empowering women agripreneurs is not just a matter of fairness," the report concludes. "It is a strategic investment in the continent's future and the foundation of a food-secure Africa."

NexGen Deutsche-Afrik (NEDEA) is a policy-driven organisation focused on fostering youth collaboration between Africa and Germany in advancing sustainability.