Mapping Women and Youth-focused Trade Associations in East Africa’s Agricultural Trade

4 August 2024
Posted by: admin_Lance
Categories: Get to know East Africa's Traders, Newsletter

Women and youth are pivotal to East Africa’s regional trade development agenda. They comprise most of the MSMEs conducting East Africa’s trade, trade mostly agricultural goods, and are considered as key drivers for sustainable development. Leveraging their position in the regional agricultural market system, the trade development sector has recognized the importance of trade associations, women and youth-focused trade organizations, and the private sector as crucial intermediaries to enhance and stimulate trade capacity for women and youth in the region.

Acknowledging the significant role these professional associations play in trade facilitation, Sauti East Africa has conducted a preliminary stakeholder mapping to identify cross-border trade associations, women and youth-focused trade groups, and relevant private-sector organizations that drive youth and women-led MSME trade across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. We highlight these entities as key local and market-driven institutions for fostering economic growth and enhancing the livelihoods of women and youth in East Africa’s agricultural trade.

Our comprehensive mapping identifies key associations that cater specifically to women, youth, or both. These organizations are instrumental in driving development by providing targeted localized support and on-the-ground resources. Women-focused associations are central to promoting gender equity, enhancing women’s economic empowerment, and improving market access for female entrepreneurs/traders and farmers. Youth-focused organizations similarly play a crucial role in cultivating the next generation of leaders and innovators in the agricultural and trade sectors. We also include relevant private-sector entities who have a direct focus on East African business and trade development. We also make sure to focus on market-driven organizations and do not include donor initiatives, grant intermediaries, and development-focused NGOs.

For more detailed information and to explore the full list of associations, please refer to the visualizations provided below.

Kenya Women and Youth Trade Organizations

Kenyan Women & Youth & Private Sector Trade Organizations

African Women in Agribusiness Network (AWAN)
Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI)
East Africa Business Network (EABN)
Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA)
East African Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (EACCIA)
Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA)

Kenyan Women-focused Trade Organizations

African Women Agribusiness Network (AWAN)
Women in Business Network (WIBN) – East Africa
East African Women’s League (EAWL)
African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)
Busia Women Cross Border Traders Association (KE)
Malaba Women Cross Border Traders Association (KE)
Taveta Women Cross Border Trade Association (CBT)
East Africa Cross Border Trade Association (EACBTA)
National Women Cross Border Traders Cooperative
Holili Women Cross Border Traders Association
Kenya Association of Women Business Owners (KAWBO)
Federation of Women Entrepreneurs Association (FEWA)

Kenyan Women & Youth Trade Organizations

Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF)
Youth Alive! Kenya
Busia Cross Border Women Traders Association
Kenya National Youth Council (NYC)
Kenya Farmers Federation

Kenyan Youth Trade Organizations

East African Youth Parliament (EAYP)

Kenyan Private Sector Trade Organizations

African Seed Trade Association (ASTA)
Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM)
East African Grain Council (EAGC)
Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF)
East African Tea Trade Association (EATTA)
Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF)
Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK)
Shippers Council of East Africa
Kenya Renewable Energy Association (KEREA)
Federation of Kenya Dairy Farmers (FKDF)
Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (KIFWA)
Kenya Flower Council (KFC)
Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK)
Kenya Chamber of Mines(KCM)
Kenya Livestock Producers Association (KLPA)
Kenya Women Finance Trust (KWFT)

Uganda Women and Youth Trade Organizations

Uganda Women and Youth Trade Organizations

Eastern Africa Sub-Regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI)
Youth Empowerment and Leadership Initiative (YELI) – Uganda

Uganda Women Trade Organizations

Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited (UWEAL)
Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET)
Eastern African Sub-Regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI)
Busia Women Cross Border Traders Association (UG)
Malaba Women Cross Border Traders Association (UG)
Elegu Women Cross Border Traders Association
Mirama Hills Cross Border Women Traders Association
Katuna Cross Border Women Traders Association
Kyanika Cross Border Women Traders Association
Mutukula Women Cross Border Traders Association

Uganda Youth Trade Organizations

Uganda Youth Development Link (UYDEL)
Uganda National Youth Council (NYC)
African Youth Initiative Network (AYINET)

Uganda Private Sector Trade Organizations

East African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI)
African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA)
Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA)
Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI)
Uganda Export Promotion Board (UEPB)
Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA)
Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU)
Uganda Freight Forwarders Association (UFFA)
Uganda Fish Processors and Exporters Association (UFPEA)
Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises – Uganda (FSME)
Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE)
Uganda Leather and Allied Industries Association (ULAIA)
Uganda Coffee Federation (UCF)
Uganda Tea Association (UTA)
Uganda Chamber of Mines and Petroleum (UCMP)
Uganda Floriculture Association (UFA)

Tanzania Women and Youth Trade Organizations

Tanzania Women & Youth & Private Sector Trade Organizations

East African Business Council (EABC)

Tanzania Women & Youth Trade Organizations

East African Women in Business Platform (EAWiBP)
Women Fund Tanzania (WFT)
Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP) – Tanzania
Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC)

Tanzania Youth Trade Organizations

Tanzania Youth Coalition (TYC)
Tanzania Youth Vision Association (TYVA)

Tanzania Private Sector Trade Organizations

Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA)
Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI)
Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA)

Rwanda Women and Youth Trade Organizations

Rwanda Women & Youth Trade Organizations

Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum (RYAF)
Pro-Femmes/Twese Hamwe

Tanzania Women Trade Organizations

Rwanda Women’s Network (RWN)
Gatuna Women Association

Rwanda Youth Trade Organizations

Rwanda Youth Council
Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum

Rwanda Private Sector Trade Organizations

Rwanda Private Sector Federation (PSF)
Rwanda Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Rwanda Association of Manufacturers (RAM)

The associations we have mapped encompass a broad spectrum of activities and services, from training and capacity-building to facilitating regional trade. Also make note that our value-chain mapping is weighted towards the wholesale trade market and there is room to expand the stakeholder mapping to include the production, value-add processing, and policy sectors.

Here, we are constantly updating our internal stakeholder mappings and encourage professional associations to reach out to us to make sure that we include the wide spectrum of relevant entities to East Africa’s traders.