Resonance is pleased to announce the launch of PepsiCo and USAID's $20 million partnership to promote women's economic empowerment in agriculture. This five-year global development alliance (GDA) aims to make the business case for women's economic empowerment, by demonstrating that investments in women deliver better business results for companies and the farming communities that supply them. Resonance will lead the technical direction of the alliance in collaboration with the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW).
Worldwide, women play critical but often unseen and unpaid roles in agricultural production. The Food and Agriculture Organization notes that while women represent more than 40 percent of the global agriculture workforce, they have far less access to training, technology, finance, land, and market information than their male counterparts. By closing the gender gap, women-run farms could increase yields by up to 30 percent, leading to higher individual and household earnings, national economic growth, and increased global food supply.
Resonance is working with USAID and PepsiCo to identify barriers and co-create solutions for women's economic empowerment in key PepsiCo supply chains in rural farming communities in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. The team will also collaborate with the ICRW and local partners to implement contextually-relevant approaches that engage communities in shifting behaviors and perceptions of women's roles on the farm. The partners will judge the success of the alliance based on improved supply chain performance and demonstrated social and business value.
"We expect that by engaging women as critical partners, on-farm productivity will increase, compliance with our sustainability standards will improve, supply chain performance will be strengthened, and we will contribute to the long-term resilience of farming communities and PepsiCo's success,” said Christine Daugherty in PepsiCo’s recent press release about the partnership. “After all, we know that women make up nearly half of the agricultural workforce and by investing in women, we can have a greater impact."
As the partnership's technical lead, Resonance will facilitate alignment between USAID and PepsiCo and manage the implementation of all global and field-related activities. These activities include the development and management of demonstration farms; facilitation of farmer training; and the selection and management of grants to local farmer associations, agribusinesses, and women-led organizations. Resonance will also oversee the collection of evidence and learning from the alliance to prove the business benefits to PepsiCo. The partners hope that these findings will help influence other PepsiCo business units, as well as global companies sourcing materials from agricultural communities in emerging markets.
"We're thrilled to work alongside PepsiCo and USAID to make the business case for women's economic empowerment," said Steve Schmida, Resonance’s founder and Chief Innovation Officer. "As the partnership progresses, we're eager to share results to help others in the industry recognize that integrating women's economic empowerment activities can strengthen their business."
The partnership is jointly funded by PepsiCo and the Women's Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Fund at USAID, which advances the White House-led W-GDP Initiative seeking to enhance opportunities for 50 million women to participate meaningfully in the economy across the globe by 2025.
For questions about this alliance please contact:
Brenna McKay, Chief of Party, Investing in Women to Strengthen Supply Chains, USAID
Read more about the partnership on PepsiCo’s website as well as from USAID’s Women's Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Fund Factsheet.
About Resonance
Resonance delivers innovation, partnership, and market-led solutions that create transformative results for communities and companies worldwide. We are a mission-driven, results-oriented global consulting firm that works with changemakers in companies and the international development community to solve pressing development and sustainability challenges and generate market opportunity. We help clients in 70 countries solve challenges related to supply chains, climate change, food security and agricultural development, environment, and economic growth.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $67 billion in net revenue in 2019, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.
About The W-GDP Initiative
In February 2019, the White House established the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative, the first whole-of-government approach to women’s economic empowerment. W-GDP seeks to reach 50 million women in the developing world by 2025 by focusing on three pillars – Women Prospering in the Workforce, Women Succeeding as Entrepreneurs, and Women Enabled in the Economy. W-GDP leverages a new innovative fund, scaling private-public partnerships which address the three pillars. In its first year alone, W-GDP programs reached 12 million women across the globe.
About USAID
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide. USAID is the world's premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID's work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity, demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience.
About the International Center for Research on Women
Anchored in the principle of human dignity, ICRW advances gender equity, inclusion and shared prosperity. With offices in Washington, DC; New Delhi, India; Nairobi, Kenya; and Kampala, Uganda, ICRW works with non-profit, government, and private sector partners to conduct research, develop and guide strategy, and build capacity to promote evidence-based policies, programs, and practices.
