Gender-Inclusive Fintech Archives

Measures Against Climate Change In Agriculture (MACCA) Project.

“Leveraging Technology To Build Climate Resilient Agricultural Value Chains”

About MACCA Project:

MACCA will work with small holder maize farmers in 10 districts (Jinja, Iganga, Kamuli, Luuka, Buyende, Bugiri, Kaliro, Namutumba, Namayingo and Mayuge) that comprise of Busoga Kingdom in the Eastern Region of Uganda.

The Busoga sub-region has been selected as it is the region of focus as it has been ranked the poorest region (Uganda Bureau of Statistics house hold survey report 2019/2020) for the past decade in Uganda and the project will evolve assuring consistent sustainable production of maize, and hibiscus using agro-ecological practices, implementation of seasonal weather forecasts as an adaptation measure, developement of a climate data store, capacity building of extension workers and other regional stakeholders in CLIMTAG use, evaluation of CLIMTAG based adaption measures targeting longer term adaption change including farmer learning exposure visits to the Amelia Agro Africa demonstration farm.

The implementation of the project has been done through a consortium named the Agropreneur Initiative whose membership include Eisteeen Rising as the lead partner, Ordernemers Voor Odernemers as the advisory partner and the three implementation partners: Amelia Agro Africa, Akaboxi Limted and Rene Beverages.

The project is based in Jinja with an office for coordination of different activities and will explore the possibilities combining the CLIMTAG technology with the existing weather prediction solutions provided by the National Meteorologic Center in Uganda.

The project process is to develop a system that will address all levels of the maize value chain from planting, nurturing, harvesting, drying, storage, processing and marketing.

The profits the project makes from the revolving fund and other facilities under the consortium will be utilized as rewards for the best performing farmers, groups and communities. The rewards to farmers will come in the form of free inputs/equipment groups will get a contribution to their common savings while the communities will benefit from community projects such as wells, valley dams, irrigation systems ans shared equipment as motivational drivers.

What is Akaboxi doing in MACCA Project:

We are a microfinance that enable smallholder farmers in the community to have access to funds and trading of groups f agro-products. We provide smallholder farmers with access to funds and markets for their agro-products.

We have assigned every individual member in the box get micro-funds.

At the first quarter of the project, We registered 8 groups in Busoga region (3 groups in Kamuli, 2 groups in Luuka distict, 2 groups in Iganda district and 1 group in Mayuge) and we have sucessfully worked with 7 groups. the other 1 group wasn’t organized as we expected.

2023 we have enrolled more 10 groups.

Gender-Inclusive Fintech: Creating Opportunities and Empowering Women in Finance

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it’s important to reflect on the progress we’ve made towards gender equality in the finance industry. While we’ve made significant strides, there’s still work to be done to create a more inclusive and equitable industry. One way to do this is through gender-inclusive fintech.

Fintech, or financial technology, has the potential to create new opportunities for women in finance. By using technology to streamline processes and create innovative solutions, fintech can help overcome many of the barriers that have historically prevented women from entering and advancing in the industry.

For example, fintech can help address the gender pay gap by providing transparency around salaries and wages. Fintech platforms can also provide access to flexible work arrangements and remote work opportunities, making it easier for women to balance work and family responsibilities.

In addition, fintech can help increase financial inclusion for women. Many women face barriers to accessing traditional banking services, such as lack of credit history or collateral. Fintech platforms can use alternative data sources to assess creditworthiness and provide loans and other financial products to those who may have been excluded from the traditional banking system.

But in order to truly be gender-inclusive, fintech must be designed with women in mind. This means understanding the unique needs and challenges that women face and designing solutions that address them. For example, fintech platforms should consider issues such as gender-based violence, which can impact women’s financial stability and access to financial services.

In addition, fintech platforms should prioritize diversity and inclusion in their own teams. This means hiring and promoting women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups in leadership positions and ensuring that all employees feel valued and supported.

By creating gender-inclusive fintech, we can create new opportunities and empower women in finance. We can break down barriers and create a more equitable industry for everyone. So let’s continue to celebrate the achievements of women in finance, while also working towards a more inclusive and diverse future.