Although women make up a significant part of the agricultural workforce, they are not always sufficiently supported, facing difficulties in accessing financing and too few manage to showcase their work on store shelves or international markets. To help overcome these obstacles, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in partnership with UN Women Moldova, organized the workshop “Satellite 2025 – Capitalizing on market opportunities for women producers”, as part of the “Farmer 2025” exhibition, reports IPN.
According to the organizers, one of the objectives of the workshop is to facilitate the connection between participants, representatives of the private sector and support organizations. Women had the opportunity to obtain useful contacts, establish partnerships and promote their products or services on local and international markets.
CCI President Sergiu Harea praised the involvement of women and emphasized their important role in business and society. He noted the success of female entrepreneurs who have already managed to start a business. “You started with small businesses and promoted the country’s image abroad. The involvement of women is necessary, especially because we want to become part of the European family, where there is competition between companies and support from the authorities”, said Sergiu Harea.
“We want as many people as possible to get to know the local female entrepreneurs. At the same time, we aim to identify markets so that they can go from crafting to the shelf, and what they started as a hobby can bring them income”, emphasized the country deputy of the UN Agency, dedicated to promoting gender equality and empowering women.
During the workshop, the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) were presented, a set of seven essential directions for promoting gender equality in the workplace, in the business environment, and in the community. These include proactive leadership, equality and non-discrimination, well-being at work, access to continuous education, sustainable business models, community initiatives and advocacy, as well as corporate responsibility and transparency. In Moldova, there are 39 companies that have signed up to these principles.
At the same time, several success stories of female entrepreneurs who started their businesses from a hobby or a passion were presented. This is the case of Victoria Gulpe, the founder of the Granoleya brand. The artisanal granola is sold on the shelves of the most well-known store chains in the country. “A small business can have a big impact. We not only produce healthily, but also contribute to a culture of responsibility and trust”, Victoria Gulpe mentioned.
In the second part of the workshop, collaboration practices with small producers were presented and the event concluded with the handing out of recognition mentions for companies.
The Satellite Workshop is an event taking place in Moldova, as part of a broad series of regional events in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
