A total of 25 women-led agri-SMEs have successfully completed an eight-week training programme focused on strengthening business management skills, enhancing financial literacy, and improving access to finance.

The programme, dubbed Women in Agribusiness, was organised by Family Bank’s Queen Banking and Agribusiness unit, which identified and brought together the women participants in different agricultural value chains and was fully funded by Aceli Africa and delivered through hands-on training and coaching by Ronald LLP.

“The barriers to women's economic empowerment stem partly from historical marginalisation and structural inequalities that have limited access to opportunities. At Family Bank, we are committed to supporting women across all sectors to overcome these barriers and grow their businesses into integral pillars of Kenya’s economy,” said Family Bank Chief Retail Officer, Phyllis Kimani, during the graduation ceremony.

Research from Mastercard indicate that Kenyan women continue to pursue business opportunities across diverse industries, with the most popular being agriculture at about 35 percent. 

However, lack of funding remains the biggest challenge, followed by lack of financial resources. The research further indicates that many women struggle with building sustainable businesses, with 48 percent of women believing that better training in business skills would help scale their businesses.

Five SMEs from the cohort have accessed financing facilities totaling KES38 million. Family Bank’s partnership with Aceli Africa builds on a long-standing relationship aimed at supporting the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises within the agricultural sector.