Women play a central role in agricultural supply chains and that’s one of the reasons why the UN has declared 2026 the Year of the Woman Farmer. From planting and harvesting to sorting, processing, and trading, their work sustains households and cooperatives.

Despite this, women in agriculture operate within layers of constraint. This includes deeply rooted cultural norms that undermine their authority, gives them limited access to resources, and requires them to carry the heavy burden of the “triple role” - productive work, reproductive responsibilities, and community obligations. These overlapping realities keep many women at a disadvantage.

To help address these challenges, Fairtrade established the Women’s School of Leadership in 2017.  Managed by producer network Fairtrade Africa, the programme works on three interconnected levels – the individual, the workplace (producer organisation), and the wider community - and offers training and mentorship on topics such as human rights, gender equality, self-confidence, financial management, cooperation, and negotiation skills.

Today, on International Women’s Day, the growing impact of the Women’s School of Leadership is evident. The programme, which began with 22 participants in cocoa farming in Côte d’Ivoire, has expanded to the tea, sugar, and the flower sectors in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi. In its nine years, the WSOL has reached over 34,000 people through direct and indirect engagement.