21–22 October 2025, Cairo. Around 80 regional stakeholders – including women entrepreneurs, innovation hubs, representatives of women-led cooperatives, research institutions, national institutions, donors, investment funds and financial institutions and international organisations – gathered in Cairo for the Regional Stakeholder Dialogue and Training on Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in the MENA Agro-Food Sector through Social and Technological Innovation.

The event, organised by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) with the financial support of AECID, and in collaboration with CIHEAM, the FAO Near East and North Africa Regional Office, the American University in Cairo (AUC) Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI), and the SFS Platform showcased regional efforts to advance women’s leadership and innovation in agro-food systems.

Women across the MENA region play a vital role in food systems – as producers, processors, retailers, and innovators – yet continue to face persistent barriers such as limited access to land, finance, and innovation ecosystems. The Dialogue highlighted the urgent need to harness women-led innovation to drive resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agro-food systems in the face of climate, economic, and food security challenges.

The two-day event combined a 1.5-day capacity-building training for 50 women entrepreneurs and cooperative leaders from seven UfM-Masar countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia) with a regional stakeholder dialogue that gathered donors, UN agencies, and regional partners. Participants contributed to co-identify policy priorities and mechanisms to accelerate women’s entrepreneurship and innovation in agro-food value chains.