Investing in African women and thriving food markets through post-harvest innovation
While technologies have revolutionized agriculture and created growth in wealthier countries and regions, 90 percent of the produced food in Sub-Saharan Africa is harvested and processed by hand—resulting in low yields and poor quality products with limited market potential. Women farmers are responsible for the vast majority of labor associated with postharvest activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Their time and effort are often over looked, and they typically have far less access to technology and credit. Compatible Technology International (CTI) fills these gaps, working to increase food supply and to empower women farmers and rural communities with postharvest tools & services that are greatly needed in the efforts to eradicate hunger. CTI is now Bountifield International.
Alexandra Spieldoch
Alexandra Spieldoch is the Executive Director of Compatible Technology International (CTI), which specializes in postharvest technology solutions for smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ms. Spieldoch has worked over 20 years in international policy and development as an expert in agricultural trade and agribusiness development. Prior to CTI, she was coordinator of the global Network of Women Ministers and Leaders in Agriculture (NWMLA) and the International Gender and Trade Network (IGTN). She also served as global liaison on gender and food security with the Institute for Development Studies (IDS), and directed the Global Governance program at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). She received her M.A. in International Policy from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.