Planting Seeds, Growing Futures: How Sunbeth is Empowering Farmers and Women Across Nigeria

Across Nigeria’s cocoa-growing communities, women are finding new ways to build independence, sustain their families, and preserve culture, often through skills that marry tradition with enterprise. From Adire dyeing in Ondo to rattan craftwork in Ikom, rural women are turning heritage into opportunity, reshaping what economic empowerment looks like at the grassroots.
Yet behind many of these stories lies a quiet revolution: intentional training programmes and support structures that go beyond handouts, focusing instead on equipping women with the skills, networks, and resources to create sustainable livelihoods.

One example is Sunbeth Global Concepts’ annual Women Empowerment Initiative (WEP), now in its third year. The 2025 edition brought together 150 women across Ondo and Cross River states, immersing them in craft-focused training designed to translate cultural knowledge into viable income streams.
In Ondo East, Ondo West, and Owo, 100 women participated in intensive training on Adire textile making, facilitated by Ibadan-based Bissie Ventures Fabrics and Essentials. Beyond hands-on skills, they learned how to market, price, and scale their creations to build sustainable livelihoods. “Now I can support my husband and reduce the financial burden on my family,” one participant shared, reflecting the programe’s real impact on women’s empowerment and household stability.

In Ikom, 50 women, mostly cocoa farmers and spouses, learned rattan knitting, transforming raw materials into bags, footwear, household décor, and accessories. The programme equipped them not only with design techniques but also with starter kits for top performers to begin their businesses immediately.
For many of the women, the training was more than just learning a new skill. It was a doorway to financial independence. It meant being able to contribute to their household income without waiting for the next harvest, and the assurance that their families could rely on more than one source of support.
By the end of the 2025 initiative, 150 women walked away not just with new skills but with tools, certification, and the confidence to start microenterprises. The ripple effect is clear: as these women begin to sell, train others, and expand into local and potentially global markets, their communities benefit from increased income, stronger resilience, and the preservation of heritage crafts.

As Africa’s agricultural future continues to be written, stories like these remind us that real transformation starts from the ground up in the hands of women who, given the right support, can change not just their families’ fortunes but entire communities. Beyond vocational training, empowerment also comes from access to the land and resources that sustain farming families..

Through Sunbeth Global Concept’s community-focused agroforestry programmes, farmers are equipped with improved cocoa seedlings and shade trees that not only boost yield but also protect the soil, preserve moisture, and restore the environment. For the men and women who work these lands, these interventions strengthen household resilience, secure food supplies, and create opportunities to diversify income.

Many of the farms in cocoa-producing communities are struggling with old and dying trees, threatening livelihoods. By distributing hybrid seedlings and shade trees, Sunbeth is enabling farmers to rehabilitate their land, meet sustainability standards, and build a future where agriculture is not just survival, but a reliable path to prosperity. These initiatives are as much about community well-being as they are about productivity, ensuring that families can provide for today while planting the seeds of security for tomorrow.

For Sunbeth Global Concepts, a global agro-commodities sourcing and trading company deeply tied to the prosperity of rural producers, these initiatives go beyond empowerment. They strengthen the very foundations of Africa’s agro-trade. By investing in women, farmers, and communities, Sunbeth is ensuring that its supply chains remain sustainable, traceable, and resilient in the face of climate change. In doing so, the company not only drives economic growth at the grassroots but also positions Nigeria as a key player in the global conversation on food security and sustainable agriculture

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