Photograph — Axios

The United States Agency for International Development and private chocolate companies has made a $2 million commitment to assist women in Ivory Coast’s cocoa industry. Thus, pledging to support women farmers in the top producing country to access finance for the development of their communities.

White House adviser, Ivanka Trump announced the project on Wednesday when visiting Ivory Coast during a four-day trip to Africa, saying that the U.S initiative will create 300 lending associations and connect another 500 to financial markets. In a country where about 1 million small-scale farmers contribute almost two-fifths of global cocoa output, women account for 40 percent of the workforce even though they seldom own land or hold decision-making roles.

Read more at All Africa

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