Advancing agribusiness through gender and social inclusion: a practical toolkit for scalable growth

Njiru, A. R.; Enokenwa Baa, Ojongetakah; Bohjanen, C.; Nortje, Karen

Advancing agribusiness through gender and social inclusion: a practical toolkit for scalable growth

Autores

Njiru, A. R.

Enokenwa Baa, Ojongetakah

Bohjanen, C.

Nortje, Karen

Editor

International Water Management Institute
CGIAR Scaling for Impact Program

Descripción

The GESI Agribusiness Toolkit provides a practical, action-oriented resource designed to help agribusinesses integrate Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) into their core strategies, operations, and decision-making. Developed under the CGIAR Initiative on Diversification in East and Southern Africa and finalized through the CGIAR Scaling for Impact (S4I) program, the toolkit supports small and medium enterprises, business accelerators, and researchers working to advance inclusive, climate-resilient agrifood systems. It offers a fit-for-purpose approach to identifying gender and social barriers, strengthening internal systems, and aligning with global frameworks such as the 2X Challenge criteria and the Gender at Work framework. The toolkit begins by outlining why GESI is essential for agribusiness performance—highlighting evidence that women reinvest significantly in households, youth drive innovation, and gender-diverse leadership improves business outcomes. It then provides a step-by-step guide to diagnosing current practices, developing an actionable and measurable GESI plan, and tracking progress using dashboards and reflective indicators. Practical tools include self-scoring checklists, a Gender Responsive Business Model Canvas, and templates for building gender action plans linked to business goals. A central feature is the CGIAR GESI Framework for Agribusiness, which helps organizations map informal norms and formal policies across individual and systemic levels, identifying targeted actions to reduce exclusion, enhance leadership opportunities, and create enabling organizational environments. By simplifying key concepts and offering ready-to-use worksheets, the toolkit enables agribusinesses to mainstream GESI effectively, meet investor expectations, and unlock new market opportunities. Ultimately, it provides a structured pathway for businesses to become more equitable, competitive, and resilient.