Smallholder farmers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), particularly those headed by women, face huge challenges in accessing appropriate scientific knowledge and technologies.  If we are to transform agriculture and food systems and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the playing field has to be leveled and the availability, affordability and relevancy of services and technologies have to be addressed particularly for poorest and most marginalized in society. The development and use of technologies, innovation and information are constrained by both supply and demand and the lack of adequate linkages between them. At the supply end, lack of investment and technical capacity, coupled with complex and irrelevant information, completely overlook the demand perspective. At the demand end, small scale farmers are often not involved in the co-creation of knowledge, leading to information that does not recognize farmer know-how and is often neither affordable, understandable nor actionable. This leads to a large number of smallholder farmers worldwide, especially women, lacking awareness that technologies, innovations and information are even available. The session will highlight the barriers for accessing technologies, innovation and information services and present the ways and means to eliminate inequalities. The session will see the “launch of the Accelerator Mentorship Programme for Women-led Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Africa”. 

09:00 – 09:05

09:05-09:10

09:10 – 09:55

09:55 – 10:10

10:10-10:40

10:40 – 10:45