LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa

📢 Reflections on the LSE International Women’s Day Conference 2025 On 8 March 2025, FLIA, in collaboration with the Arab International Women's Forum, LSE Centre for Women Peace and Security, LSE Department of International Development , and LSE Middle East Centre, hosted the LSE International Women’s Day Conference 2025 on "Empowering Women in Agriculture: Navigating Peace, Conflict, and Food Security". This conference convened leading scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to examine the intersection of gender, agriculture, and food security, particularly in the context of peace and conflict. Discussions underscored the significant contributions of women to agricultural innovation, the structural barriers they continue to face, and the role of policy and technology in fostering sustainable and equitable agricultural systems. We want to thank everyone who joined us! We also extend our sincere gratitude to our keynote speakers: -Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli (President & CEO, ONE Campaign) -Dr Caroline Green (Manager, LSE Centre for Women, Peace and Security) -Haifa Al Kaylani OBE (President & Founder, Arab International Women’s Forum) We also thank our panel chairs and speakers for their insightful contributions: Panel 1: Women in Agriculture Chaired expertly by Professor Naila Kabeer, joined by Imogen Bellwood-Howard and Sarah El Battouty. Panel 2: Impact of Peace and Conflict on Food Security Chaired and led by Dr Louise Arimatsu. The panellists were Charlotte Brown, Professor Rym Ayadi, and Dr Dina Zayed. Breakout Session 1: Policy and Advocacy for Women in Agriculture The session was chaired by Dr Caroline Green, who was joined by Mina Kozluca, Nbuwak Peace Yashim and Muna Eltahir Hamdan Eisa. Breakout Session 2: Student Debate, Student Presentation, & Expert Panel The student debaters were Anne Chidebem-oba, Catherine Khanoba, Perazim Singo, and Imane SEKKAT. The student presentation was delivered by Amna Haroon, and the breakout session was moderated by Zainab Oyiza Sanni. The expert panel was chaired by Yousra Abdelmoneim (ACA), and the speakers were Joseph A. and Dionne Abrahams. Panel 3: Moving Forward The panel was chaired by Josephine Chiname, joined by Dan Collison, Funke Nnennaya Michaels, Michaelle Kubwimana and Oluchukwu Okonkwo. The conference report and recordings of the sessions will be available soon. We look forward to continuing these critical discussions and advancing the role of women in agriculture, sustainability, and global food security. #InternationalWomensDay2025 #WomenInAgriculture #FoodSecurity #GenderEquality #AfricaAtLSE #LSEWPS #LSEID #LSEIWDConference

Exciting Opportunity for LSE Students! 🚀 McKinsey & Company Nigeria is looking to connect with top talent at the LSE Africa Summit 2025! As part of their recruitment engagement, they are inviting selected students to an exclusive breakfast meeting during the Summit. If you're interested in strategy consulting, problem-solving, and impactful careers, this is your chance to get noticed! Submit your CV using the link below to be considered. 📌 Deadline: 23rd March, 2025 📩 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/eaaav4i9 You need to buy the tickets to attend the event and get your CV shared to McKinsey. This is the link to buy the tickets: https://lnkd.in/dFiMTweq Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to network with McKinsey recruiters and explore career possibilities! 🚀 #LSE #AfricaSummit #McKinsey #ConsultingOpportunities #Networking

🏆 Join us for this special lecture by co-recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in economics and LSE alumnus James A Robinson. During his talk, Professor Robinson will propose a new interpretation of African society, history and political and economic trajectories based on the notion of wealth in people and its institutionalisation. 🎟 Book your free place, in person or online, for this LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa event on Tuesday 25 March: https://ow.ly/KA4050VfVjV #LSEEvents

#Nigeria's president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has proposed #tax reforms which appear fair and inclusive. But, as Uche Igwe, Ph.D writes on the LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa blog, there are historical reasons why members of the public and the political elite don’t trust his intentions. Read more👉 https://lnkd.in/dNFxCTc2

A week ago, on Women’s Day, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa LSE Middle East Centre the Arab International Women's Forum, and President Haifa Al Kaylani OBE hosted an incredible conference on: “Empowering Women in Agriculture: Navigating Peace, Conflict, and Food Security’. “Throughout Africa and the MENA Region, women are forging new pathways for agricultural innovation that address the critical issues of sustainability, inequality and peace, and so the conference aimed to promote women-led innovation and advocacy in agriculture across Africa, addressing critical issues and paving the way for sustainable development and peace.” This conference convened leading scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to examine the intersection of gender, agriculture, and food security, particularly in the context of peace and conflict. Discussions underscored women's significant contributions to agricultural innovation, the structural barriers they continue to face, and the role of policy and technology in fostering sustainable and equitable agricultural systems. I was delighted to be among the speakers on the "Policy and Advocacy for Women in Agriculture" panel with Mina Kozluca and Muna Eltahir Hamdan Eisa, chaired by Dr. Caroline Green. It was a productive, proactive conference presenting solutions led by outstanding women. I want to thank Sofija Spasenoska for organizing such a fantastic conference. Thank you to the panel chairs and keynote speakers for their insightful contributions, knowledge, expertise, and experiences that made the conference impactful Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, Dr Caroline Green, Haifa Al Kaylani OBE Naila Kabeer, Imogen Bellwood-Howard, Sarah El Battouty, Dr. Louise Arimatsu, Charlotte Brown, Professor Rym Ayadi, and Dr. Dina Zayed. Josephine Chiname, Dan Collison, Funke Nnennaya Michaels, Michaelle Kubwimana, Oluchukwu Okonkwo, Anne Chidebem-oba, Catherine Khanoba, Perazim Singo, and Imane SEKKAT, Zainab Oyiza Sanni, Yousra Abdelmoneim (ACA), Joseph A. Dionne Abrahams, Yousra Abdelmoneim (ACA), Amna Haroon I look forward to continuing these critical discussions and advancing the role of women in agriculture, sustainability, and global food sovereignty. #InternationalWomensDay2025 #WomenInAgriculture #FoodSecurity #GenderEquality #AfricaAtLSE #LSEWPS #LSEID #LSEIWDConference

About a week ago I was invited to be a panellist at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) for International Women’s Day to discuss how to ‘Empower Women in Agriculture’. This wonderful event was organised in collaboration with Arab International Women's Forum LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa. Of course I talked about #Sugarcrete, our wonderful innovative project by University of East London Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability (RDCS) Sustainability Research Institute at University of East London. It was wonderful meeting my fellow panellists: Josephine Chiname Funke Nnennaya Michaels Michaelle Kubwimana Dan Collison And many other wonderful speakers Nbuwak Peace Yashim Sofija Spasenoska Chantel Daniel I look forward to seeing us collaborate and propose solutions to some of the issues we discussed. Thank you Global WIIN Bola Olabisi FRSA for the mention. Professor Amanda J. Broderick Professor-Dr-Hassan Abdalla PFHEA FRSA Professor Matt Bellgard Professor David Tann Stuart Connop Armor Gutiérrez Rivas Alan Chandler Bamdad Ayati

Honoured to deliver the keynote ‘From Aspiration to Action: Accelerating Women’s Leadership for a Stronger Commonwealth’ at The Commonwealth Leadership Series last week on International Women’s Day 2025. A timely and powerful gathering hosted by the Commonwealth Youth Council, in partnership with the Programme for African Leadership at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) — bringing together High Commissioners, Diplomats, Decision-makers, and Youth leaders to accelerate action on equitable, inclusive, and transformative leadership. As I shared during the session: 'Leadership begins not by waiting to be invited, but when we choose to step forward — even when the space wasn’t built for us.' I reflected on ambition, visibility, and the urgency of creating space — not just for young women to enter leadership, but to thrive within it. Inspiring leadership and thoughtful contributions of Mónica Ferro, Anjali Sarker, and Joshua Opey — your dedication to youth empowerment and inclusive leadership is truly commendable. Congratulations to The Commonwealth on the recent #CelebrateCommonwealth, a timely reminder of the strength we hold in our shared values and collective future. Grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this important dialogue on the future of leadership across the Commonwealth, and sincere thanks to all those who contributed to making this such a meaningful and impactful event. Let’s continue to #AccelerateAction and advance #leadership that reflects the strength, diversity, and potential of all people. Tosin Adebisi Opey Abednego Brandy Eunice Oladejo LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa Programme for African Leadership #CommonwealthLeadershipSeries #Commonwealth #LSE #ProgrammeForAfricanLeadership #WomensLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #CommonwealthYouthCouncil #YouthLeadership #FromAspirationToAction #InternationalWomensDay

It was such an honour to co-host the International Women’s Day Commonwealth Leadership Series organized by the Commonwealth Youth Council and the Programme for African Leadership at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). For me, International Women’s Day is a reminder of the incredible women who have paved the path for those after them with grace and resilience. Thank you to keynote speakers, Mónica Ferro and Dr Souad Mohamed, and our panelists for their inspirational remarks and impactful stories!

🌍✨ Honored & Grateful ✨🌍 This International Women’s Day, I had the privilege of speaking on a panel at the The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) for the conference « Empowering Women in Agriculture: Navigating Peace, Conflict, and Food Security »—a phenomenal event organized by the Arab International Women's Forum and multiple LSE institutes. 💡 When I arrived in the UK in August 2022, I believed that starting my business would be easy—after all, had 2 years of experience with Kawah Coffee Ltd in Singapore, I own my supply chain, work directly with my farm in #Rwanda, know my industry inside out, and speak the language. But reality hit differently. Being a woman in coffee is hard. Being a minority woman in coffee ? Even harder. Being a minority woman in coffee in a new country? Take a guess. 🚀 But here’s the thing: barriers are not stop signs, they are tests of resilience. I’ve faced challenges I never expected, but I keep going. And to every woman entrepreneur out there, remember: If you have to work twice as hard, use it as a tool to be twice as great. Keep believing, keep building, keep breaking barriers. 💪🏾 To every woman striving for a seat at the table: if there isn’t one, build your own. 🚀 #EmpowerWomen #WomenInAgriculture #InternationalWomensDay #WomenEntrepreneurs #MinorityWomenInBusiness #Resilience #Agribusiness #FoodSecurity #LSE #KawahCoffee #KeepGoing #BreakBarriers #RepresentationMatters #entrepreneurlife

What a blessing it was to celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, meeting such amazing women and supportive men all together to support the work being done at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) for continent of Africa via LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa and Arab International Women's Forum, et al. Invited by my sister in coffee and Christ, Michaelle Kubwimana, thank you so very much for the invitation! Your panel highlighting Josephine Chiname, Funke Nnennaya Michaels, Dan Collison, Oluchukwu Okonkwo and yourself, really spoke to my soul. I even got to share my heart on seeing more collaboration between Africa and the Caribbean, which I have the opportunity to do with #TheGoodCoffeeProject ☕️🫶🏽 The speakers on the various panels throughout the day were phenomenal. I believe I have made lifelong friends and partners in sustainability and so look forward to bringing my best self to the table, or the “chama”, as our esteemed friend, Doctor Funke so lovingly described.. Thank you for the shoutout Oluchukwu Okonkwo. You truly represent a bright future for young women everywhere, especially throughout Africa and it’s expansive and growing diaspora… We look forward to #sugarcrete becoming a global phenomenon in the world of sustainability and beyond. Sofija Spasenoska, you were a wonderful host. May you continue to thrive in your element and bring joy to people! To all the wonderful connections I made… Love you all with the purest love of God✨ #IWD2025 #LSE #thepowerofeducation #womencelebratingwomen #mencelebratingwomen