The Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains project is a collaborative initiative between CCRED and the Graça Machel Trust, funded by the European Union, aimed at strengthening the economic participation of women-owned businesses in South Africa’s poultry, wine, and citrus value chains. The project focuses on addressing the complex web of constraints faced by women entrepreneurs through targeted research, capacity building, mentorship, technical support, innovative aggregation models, and evidence-based advocacy through collective action. Drawing on extensive engagement with women-owned enterprises, government stakeholders, industry bodies, and development finance institutions, the project generates evidence-based insights to support more inclusive value chain development. The project aims to positively impact a wide range of final beneficiaries, including producers, retailers, suppliers, consumers, and local communities, by supporting job creation, increased agricultural production, and broader economic participation. CCRED provides extensive research, policy guidance, and advocacy support for the project.

Over 30 months, CCRED has undertaken detailed research as part of market briefs, policy gap analyses, case studies and working papers across the wine, citrus and poultry value chains. The research provides granular, evidence-based insights into how market structures, regulatory frameworks, and institutional arrangements shape inclusion and exclusion in practice.

Working Papers

Chisoro, S. and Ncube, S. (2026). Barriers to finance and export market participation among Historically Disadvantaged citrus farmers in South Africa. Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Bosiu, T. (2026). Women Creating Wealth: A study of finance and market access for women-owned SMMEs in South Africa’s poultry value chain. Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Muzyamba, C.M. (2026). Women Creating Wealth: A study of finance and market access for women-owned SMMEs in South Africa’s wine value chain. Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Action Plans

Ncube, S. and Chisoro, S. (2026). Closing the finance gap in South Africa’s citrus industry. Action Plan 1. Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Bosiu, T. (2026). Improving access to finance and markets for women-owned SMMEs in South Africa’s poultry value chain. Action Plan 2. Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Muzyamba, C.M. (2026). Improving Access to Finance and Markets for Black Women-Owned SMEs in South Africa’s Wine Value Chain. Action Plan 3. Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Policy Gap Analysis Reports

Ncube, S.; Chisoro, S.and Landani, N. (2025).  Mapping farmer support programmes and policies in South Africa’s citrus industry. A Sectoral Policy Gap Analysis. Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Bosiu, T. (2025). Meaningful participation of women producers in South Africa’s poultry value chain. A Sectoral Policy Gap Analysis. Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Muzyamba, C.M. and Nontenja, N. (2025). Meaningful participation of women producers in South Africa’s wine value chain. A Sectoral Policy Gap Analysis. Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Market Briefs

Chisoro, S.; Ncube, S.  and Landani, N. (2025). Leveraging data for improving quality of participation in South Africa’s citrus industry. Citrus Market Brief 2 - Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Bosiu, T. (2025). South Africa Poultry Industry Data and Insights for SMMEs and Policymakers. Poultry Market Brief 2 - Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Muzyamba, C.M. and Nontenja, N. (2025). Challenges to the inclusion of women in wine and opportunities for action. Wine Market Brief 2 - Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Chisoro, S.; Landani, N.  and Ncube, S. (2024). Mapping entry and participation of women owned and managed farms in South Africa’s citrus industry. Citrus Market Brief 1 - Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Nontenja, N. (2024). An overview of the poultry industry with a focus on the participation of SMEs and women.  Poultry Market Brief 1 - Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Muzyamba, C.M. and Nontenja, N. (2024). Women in South Africa’s Wine industry. Wine Market Brief 1 - Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Compendium of Case Studies

CCRED. (2026). Women Rising Above the Odds: Case Studies of Women in Agricultural Value Chains in South Africa. Compendium of Case Studies - Women Creating Wealth in Agricultural Value Chains (CCRED-GMT).

Each of the twelve case studies in this compendium from the poultry, citrus and wine value chains traces the journey of a woman entrepreneur to success, including the obstacles encountered, the lessons learned, and the creative strategies these women used to push through barriers that stop so many others. Their achievements are especially striking given that women producers often face an extra layer of difficulty in the form of gender biases and entrenched social norms that limit their access to resources, patriarchy, networks, and decision-making spaces. Through their persistence, these women show not only what is possible but also what is needed to open agricultural value chains to more small-scale producers.

A key aspect of the project produced three case study videos to complement existing research by translating evidence into accessible, public-facing narratives. The videos are intended to document and highlight the journeys of Black female entrepreneurs in the poultry, wine, and citrus sectors. The focus is on how these women have navigated structural, market, and institutional barriers in their industries, and the strategies they have developed to sustain and grow their enterprises. They are narrative-driven case studies that foreground lived experience, constraint, resilience, and agency. Watch the videos below.

Video Case studies