Women playing a pivotal role in a more sustainable future for Angola

 Women playing a pivotal role in a more sustainable future for Africa's rural communities 

As the world’s population continues to grow, the need for more and better quality food will be imperative, especially considering the various health and environmental challenges around the globe.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen!

My name is Sofonie Dala, I'm from Angola. Today we are adding the final notes to our green program, with the aim of empowering women to promote sustainable food systems.

Empowering women is a central part of our work - and has been shown to have wider benefits as well. When women prosper, they tend to invest more in their homes and families, giving their children more nutritious food and keeping them healthy.

Woman running vegetarian business in rural areas.

Watch our video below to explore the journey of Angolan female street traders

Dona Mito, introduce to us your stand.

What are you selling here that is healthy?

I have roasted peanuts and fried sweet potatoes, in a little while I'm going to roast the manioc and plantains.

Do you like this dish very much?

Yes, I really like this healthy food.

Is your business sustainable?

Yes, this business is sustainable and very profitable.

So can you earn enough money to help your family?

Yes, this has been helping me a lot with household needs.

Women are key pillars in the fight against poverty and food insecurity in many rural areas.

By identifying women in the community who are most in need, we can help them by providing training and equipment to process and sell non-timber forest products and generate their own income.

Life of rural women is not easy. Women do not have the same rights as men, and often have to juggle domestic duties and agricultural work - sowing, weeding and harvesting crops, but also making food for their families and collecting firewood and water.

Gender equality (SDG 5) is strongly linked to achieving SDG 2 on sustainable agriculture.  Delivering on SDG 5, hence, stands as an essential milestone to realise SDG 2.

Food security is a growing problem in much of the developing world while food waste continues unabated in advanced countries. Hunger often affects those directly involved in producing food.

By opening up new opportunities for women, we help them to develop new streams of income, which helps to lift themselves out of poverty. And when women have more economic empowerment and more opportunities, it helps the whole community to grow and prosper.

And that's why our work with women is so important. Because equality for women really is progress for all.   

Our show came to an end. The end of the show is not the end of the movement.

Thanks largely to many of you here! We are not saying good bye, we will come back soon with new webisodes!

Here’s a glimpse of what eating sustainable looks like for women in Angola.

Please click the links below to watch all the series, from 1 to 4:

1. Day 1 - ENCOURAGING WOMEN TO SELL SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

2. Day 2 - WOMEN CULTIVATING SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS

3. Day 3. SUSTAINABLE OR UNSUSTAINABLE?

4, Day 4. WOMEN PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS - THE GRAND FINALE. BY SOFONIE DALA, ANGOLA