This Vuna publication, produced by Value for Women Ltd., is the first in a series of three reports with the goal of guiding small and growing agribusinesses (SGABs) to growth through strategic gender inclusion in climate-smart agriculture (CSA) value chains. The research was commissioned by Vuna, a three-year regional CSA programme funded by UK aid (DFID), and implemented by Adam Smith International in five countries of East and Southern Africa: Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Vuna aims to transform Africa’s agriculture sector by enabling smallholder farmers to improve their livelihoods in the face of climate change. It operates in East and Southern Africa, where the adoption of farming practices that reduce the negative impacts of climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has been slower than in comparable geographic regions.Given their influence in the sector, agribusinesses have a unique opportunity to catalyse greater uptake of CSA in farming systems. By taking steps to ensure their value chains are climate-smart and gender-inclusive, SGABs not only contribute to climate resilience among smallholders and their communities, but also increase productivity for farmers and companies, thus helping to improve food security and spur economic growth.