Empowering Women and Youth Leaders for Green and Inclusive Business
With the aim of strengthening youth leadership and promoting the inclusion of women in rural areas, a workshop on green and inclusive entrepreneurship for young and female leaders was held in May in Pichanaki, Peru. Participants analysed current regional economic dynamics, learned valuable design thinking and leadership skills, and practiced the development of proposals and the presentation of pitches.
The workshop on green and inclusive entrepreneurship for young and female leaders was held in May in Pichanaki, Peru. The event was organised by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) in partnership with six coffee cooperatives from the Selva Central region, the National Institute for Agricultural Innovation (INIA), the Pichanaki Model Forest (BMPKI), and the NGO TRIAS. More than 35 leaders including young people and women of all ages from Pichanaki, Satipo, and Pangoa attended the session, which aimed to identify sustainable opportunities for their communities and strengthen their leadership skills within their organisations.
Over the two-day event, participants reflected on their personal and collective purposes using tools such as IKIGAI and carried out exercises in empathy and territorial analysis. A panel of local experts also supported the group in analysing the dynamics, as well as the environmental, cultural, and productive potential of the territory, and examined current challenges related to employment, migration, and sustainability.
During the main part of the workshop, participants explored the concept of responsible purchasing practices in depth and analysed how these principles can be applied throughout the coffee value chain. The session helped to build a shared understanding of the importance of moving towards more sustainable and inclusive commercial relationships, aimed at ensuring a living income for farming families.
Discussion groups assessed the direct impact of purchasing practices on coffee producers’ incomes and identified the different perspectives and challenges faced by each supply chain actor. Participants’ contributions will help inform the development of sector guidelines on responsible purchasing practices.
This event marks a significant step in the coordination between the Peruvian Government, German Cooperation, European retailers and other stakeholders in the coffee value chain. The active participation of these key actors represents a joint commitment to promoting more responsible and sustainable supply chains and dedication to the strengthening of social, economic and environmental conditions in the coffee sector.