Women-led Enterprises Require Climate Finance

March 13, 2025

ADDIS ABABA – Amaranth Farm Ecolodge urged women engaged in agriculture and green initiatives to secure climate finance to enhance their contributions and expand their impact.

Amaranth Farm Ecolodge celebrated the 2025 International Women’s Day with women involved in green initiatives and agriculture.

The event aimed to promote women participants as leaders in gender-responsive climate adaptation solutions and to catalyze the development of locally relevant strategies to enhance smallholders’ adaptive capacity to climate change. It also sought to communicate the impact of their work at the community, institutional, and policy levels.

Approached by The Ethiopian Herald, Co-founder and Executive Director of Amaranth Farm Ecolodge, Mulunesh Jebessa, said that the role of women-led institutions has become increasingly critical.

“Despite their significant contributions, women-led organizations often face challenges in securing the necessary funding and support to fulfill their missions. To address this pressing issue, we need active participation of women-led organizations in the climate finance landscape,” she said.

Mulunesh emphasized that women engaged in urban agriculture, solar energy, and other green initiatives require accessible climate finance to expand their impact.

She further highlighted the importance of targeted funding for women-centric institutions to ensure they receive the attention and resources they deserve. Women-led organizations not only foster sustainability but also promote economic empowerment, making their success vital for community resilience.

By securing access to funding for women, the country can unlock new opportunities for women-led initiatives, enabling them to innovate and drive transformative change in communities where female entrepreneurs and leaders can flourish, according to the Executive Director.

“Let us stand together to promote women-led organizations in taking charge of their destinies in the green economy, bringing a lasting impact on our environment and society in their transformative journey toward a sustainable and equitable future,” she urged.

Women are significantly underrepresented in climate research and innovation leadership, as well as in climate policy decision-making. However, to achieve sustainable development, women play a key role, she stressed.

Mulunesh stated that her organization’s efforts to achieve these objectives have gained acceptance and support from the Ministry of Planning and Development.

This recognition is a crucial step toward advancing the role of women-led organizations in addressing critical climate challenges, ultimately benefiting entire communities, she added.

BY MISGANAW ASNAKE

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 13 MARCH 2025