Women Financing the Future of Food Freedom

LONDON — Women and children are the face of global hunger — and Africa is no exception. Yet this week, in the heart of London, a new narrative is taking shape. On the eve of Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (October 30), women leaders from across sectors are gathering not to plead for inclusion, but to strategize power — economic, political, and nutritional.

Hosted at the elegant Chesterfield–Mayfair Hotel, the UK–Africa Women in Food and Agribusiness Investment Summit features a high-impact panel titled “Access to Capital: Strategies for Funding.” The session will be moderated by Tambra Raye Stevenson, MPH, MA, PhD Candidate — Founder and CEO of WANDA: Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics, and Agriculture — who is reframing the conversation from charity to justice.

“This isn’t a feminist agenda,” Stevenson says. “It’s a moral and economic one. When women control the means of food production and financing, we secure families, stabilize nations, and feed futures.”

Flipping the Narrative on Food and Power

According to the African Union Commission, Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security—celebrated every October 30—is a call to action to end hunger and malnutrition through policy, investment, and innovation. Yet data from the FAO and UN Women tell a stark truth: women produce up to 80 percent of Africa’s food but receive less than 7 percent of agricultural investment.

The conversation in London aims to flip that imbalance. Rather than positioning women as the victims of food insecurity, the panel presents them as financiers, founders, and future-makers.

“From plate to profit,” Stevenson adds, “this is about women reclaiming their right to feed their communities and fund their destinies.”

A Global Gathering for Local Solutions

The panel brings together powerhouse women across finance, technology, education, law, and social justice — each representing a key piece of the food freedom puzzle:

• Constanza Robles Fumarola, Founding Partner of Inanna Ventures, specializes in regenerative finance and gender-equity investments across Africa and Asia.

• Veronica Annor, Principal Consultant at BRE, leverages AI and data analytics to drive inclusive innovation in finance and trade.

• Gloria Dalafu, Founder of School2u, champions access to education and digital empowerment as tools for social mobility.

• Alimatu Dimonekene, MBE, CEO of A Girl at a Time, is a global advocate for women’s rights and trauma-informed empowerment.

• Joan K. Asante, Founder of The Asante Group, helps African food entrepreneurs navigate trade law and export markets to scale their impact.

  
  

Together, they will unpack how new funding models — from diaspora bonds and blended finance to fintech and cooperative investment — can create sustainable, women-led food systems.

The Sisterhood Supper: Where Strategy Meets Soul

Following the panel, WANDA will host a Sisterhood Supper on October 30 — the official Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security — bringing together African and diaspora women in a shared space of reflection and renewal.

The supper, now a signature WANDA experience, blends culture, storytelling, and advocacy. It’s where data turns into dialogue and where strategy meets soul.

🤝 Co-Hosted by WANDA, Guzakuza, and WiNA 📍 JuliesNest Gardens (Red Room) – Sisterhood Supper: London 📅 Register here

Hosted in partnership with global women leaders, the Supper brings together investors, entrepreneurs, and advocates to build bridges between the African and diaspora food ecosystems. Around the table, stories are exchanged, collaborations are born, and the collective imagination of what’s possible grows richer.

“When women gather over food, it’s not just nourishment — it’s nation-building,” Stevenson says. “The Sisterhood Supper is our living vision of food diplomacy in action.”

The Bigger Picture: Food Freedom as a Global Imperative

The FAO’s Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security theme — “Empowering Women to End Hunger and Build Resilient Food Systems” — echoes a truth WANDA has long championed: food freedom begins when women are fully resourced. Online registration is available.

From Abuja to Accra, Addis to London, this global alignment of purpose — between policymakers, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders — is building momentum for a new economic model rooted in equity, heritage, and humanity.

As Stevenson reflects, “The hands that feed the world should not go hungry — and the women who nourish nations must also profit from their power.”

From Food Justice to Funding Justice

The United Nations FAO emphasizes that Africa’s success in ending hunger will depend on investing in women’s leadership and agency. Yet Stevenson’s message pushes further — the future of food is not only about access to land or seeds but access to capital.

The London summit is more than an event; it’s a movement. It’s a call for investors, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to join forces in building equitable, community-rooted food systems that reflect women’s knowledge, resilience, and innovation.

As Africa commemorates its 16th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security in Kigali, Rwanda along with the and 21st CAADP Partnership Platform, Stevenson’s words serve as both a rallying cry and a reminder:

“Food freedom is the foundation of every other freedom. When we fund women, we feed nations. And when we feed nations, we finance peace.”

About WANDA (Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics and Agriculture) is a social movement and nonprofit organization championing women and girls as leaders in building healthier communities through food, storytelling, and entrepreneurship. Learn more at iamwanda.org.