MEDA

Few people in Canadian politics have focused as consistently on the Canada–Africa relationship as Rob Oliphant MP.

From advancing Canada’s Africa Strategy to engaging across Senegal, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Tanzania, he has emphasized what is at stake, and how important sustained, intentional collaboration will be moving forward.

On Saturday, May 30, MP Rob Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, joins us at the Canada–Africa Innovation Festival 2026 for “One Question With… MP Rob Oliphant,” a featured Day 2 segment.

A focused conversation on Canada’s next phase of engagement with Africa, and the role collaboration will play in shaping it.

Day 2 brings together 500–700 entrepreneurs, investors, ecosystem builders, and community members for programming designed to move from dialogue to practical engagement.

🗓️ Saturday, May 30, 2026 | 12:00 PM�
📍 Chestnut Conference Centre, Toronto

🔗 Register to join us ➡️ https://caif.africanimpactinitiative.com

LARIS — the Latin American Regenerative Investment Summit — is where decisions about moving capital into regenerative agriculture kick into high gear. MEDA was there.

Together with our regional partner Volcafe Honduras, we joined the dialogue on transforming agribusiness toward sustainable, inclusive models.

As part of the program, Ricardo Gonzalez (MEDA’s Country Director for Honduras) and Jailine Pineda (Data Manager and Sustainability Lead at Volcafe Honduras) delivered a powerful session: “Transforming Territories: The OCIDA-Volcafe Honduras Experience: Coffee, Territory, and Regeneration.”

They highlighted critical efforts to strengthen sustainable coffee value chains while supporting smallholder farmers and territorial development in Latin America.

Beyond the session, LARIS was an incredible opportunity to connect with peers at SVX MX and Fundación Avina to share MEDA’s portfolio and spark new regional collaborations.

A powerful reminder that advancing regenerative investment requires collaboration, innovation, and locally rooted partnerships.

🌱 Boosting Climate‑Smart Farming for Women in Northern Ghana 🇬🇭🇨🇦

In Moglaa, Northern Ghana, MEDA, through the GROW2 project, funded by Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada and implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana, has commissioned a solar‑powered irrigation site serving 112 women farmers.

The milestone was marked alongside the High Commission of Canada to Ghana, Togo and Sierra Leone, government leaders, and community partners, highlighting a shared commitment to strengthening climate‑resilient agriculture.

For many women in the region, reliance on rain‑fed agriculture limits production and income. This new system enables year‑round, climate‑smart farming, improving access to water, reducing climate risks, and supporting both food security and income generation.

The Moglaa site, one of 25 solar irrigation schemes under GROW2, allows women to grow high‑value crops, access markets in nearby Tamale, and strengthen household nutrition, all while using renewable energy.

Together with our partners, we are advancing inclusive, sustainable agriculture that creates opportunity year‑round. 🌾

Learn more ➡️ https://www.meda.org/news/grow2-boost-climate-smart-farming-for-women-with-solar-powered-irrigation-site-in-moglaa-northern-ghana/

Evidence is only powerful when it leads to actions: When it informs decisions, shapes partnerships, and drives real change.

That is exactly what we are setting out to do in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The ANDE East Africa Chapter, in collaboration with MEDA, invites you to an engaging Research Dissemination & Ecosystem Engagement Workshop - a key milestone in our ongoing work, supported by IDRC / CRDI Canada and implemented alongside 2X Global. This session goes beyond sharing findings. It’s about bringing ecosystem leaders together to translate research into action; unlocking practical solutions, strengthening collaboration, and advancing outcomes for women-led clean energy enterprises across the region.

14 May 2026 | 08:00am – 2:00pm
Johari Rotana, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

If you’re working at the intersection of entrepreneurship, gender, and clean energy, this is a conversation you want to be part of.
Register here: https://web.cvent.com/event/693fd47a-4276-4d96-a4b6-d91383d53475/register?RefId=register

Learn more: https://andeglobal.org/event/east-africa-research-dissemination-workshop-improving-outcomes-for-women-led-clean-energy-enterprises/

🌍 MEDA at the | Beyond Borders Conference in Ghana 🇬🇭

From April 27–29, MEDA participated in the SHEA 2026 | Beyond Borders Conference in Accra, organized by the Global Shea Alliance, a leading multi‑stakeholder platform bringing together producers, women’s groups, SMEs, brands, NGOs, and development partners across West Africa.

The conference spotlighted opportunities to strengthen cross‑border trade, sustainability, and inclusive market growth across the global shea sector. MEDA was pleased to host a booth and engage with partners and practitioners advancing the sector.

On Day 2, Diaka Diallo Sall, MEDA’s Regional Director for West & Central Africa, moderated the panel “Marketing Beyond Borders,” exploring key trends shaping international trade, market access, and value‑chain opportunities in the shea sector and related industries.

On Day 3, Dr. Zakaria Issahaku, Regional Business Value Creation Lead for West & Central Africa at MEDA, delivered a presentation on how agri-food systems transformation can turn informal shea jobs into decent livelihoods for women and youth.

The team also connected with Murijana Abubakr, entrepreneur and founder of Suglo Suhudoo Enterprise, supported through the project, who showcased locally-produced shea butter products.

The event was a strong reminder that transforming agri-food systems requires connecting markets, entrepreneurs, and resilient business models.

🌍 MEDA at the AfDB Roundtable Hosted by The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business

Last week, MEDA’s Director, Investment Finance, Jen MacBruce, joined The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business for a high‑level roundtable with Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), alongside Canadian business leaders and development partners.

The conversation highlighted the importance of capacity building, creating regulatory environments for sustainable development, and unlocking the potential of the informal sector for inclusive economic growth across Africa.

As an organization with deep expertise in agri-food systems and creating decent jobs globally, MEDA brought a grounded perspective to how these goals can be realized.

The session created space to explore how partnerships between Canadian institutions and AfDB can accelerate financing and development opportunities across key sectors.

Thank you to the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business for convening this important dialogue, and contributing to the broader conversation on advancing Africa’s economic development.

🌿 From Baseline to Breakthrough: Partnering with Wakami Opens New Possibilities for Rural Women in Guatemala 🇬🇹

In 2022, none of the women joining MEDA’s Women’s Empowerment for Central America (WE4CA) project met MEDA’s decent work standard. Just three years later, that number has risen to 31%, reflecting growing access to stable and dignified livelihoods.

This progress is driven by an integrated approach. Implemented by MEDA with partners Pro Mujer and Wakami Guatemala and funded by Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada, WE4CA works across three pillars: strengthening women‑led businesses, expanding access to financial services, and improving well‑being and agency.

Through its partnership with Wakami, a social enterprise connecting rural artisans to global markets, MEDA facilitated the scaling of integrated support for women entrepreneurs across Guatemala. This included business training, access to markets, financial literacy, and household‑level support such as nutrition and well‑being services.

The results:
✅ 444 women‑led businesses supported
✅ 121 businesses connected to new markets
✅ Well‑being service uptake increased from 29% to 52%
✅ 63% of participants report confidence in their business skills

Behind these numbers are stories like Marla Karina Chanta. She chose differently and through her long participation in Wakami’s handmade value chain, accelerated by WE4CA support, she invested her earnings in her daughters’ futures. Today, all three of her daughters hold university scholarships.

By addressing economic and social barriers together, WE4CA is showing how investing in women creates ripple effects that strengthen families, shift community norms, and build opportunities for the next generation.

🔗 Learn more ➡️ https://www.meda.org/news/blog/from-baseline-to-breakthrough-partnering-with-wakami-opens-new-possibilities-for-rural-women-in-guatemala/

🌍 This Earth Day, we’re highlighting how people‑led action is building a more sustainable future.

Around the world, entrepreneurs and communities are finding practical ways to care for the environment while strengthening livelihoods, from sustainable cacao farming in the , to climate‑smart aquaculture in , to reducing food waste and creating jobs through mango processing in .

With support from MEDA projects like RIISA, LEGEND, and AVENIR, funded by Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada, local leaders are accessing training, investment, and market opportunities that support businesses to grow while protecting the natural resources they depend on. 🌱

These stories remind us that environmental progress happens when people have the tools to act, creating economic opportunity, resilience, and long‑term impact for their communities.

Learn more about our projects ➡️ https://www.meda.org/our-work/our-programs/

🥛🍫 How Tablea Milk is Nourishing 11,000 Children and Transforming Davao’s Cacao Value Chain 🇵🇭

In Davao City, a traditional Filipino cacao product is being reimagined to improve child nutrition while strengthening local value chains. Through Casuga Agro-Innovations Inc., entrepreneur Cherrylin Casuga transformed tablea into a nutritious chocolate milk now reaching more than 11,000 school‑aged children through Davao’s School‑Based Feeding Program.

Building on a cacao‑farming legacy started by her father, Cherrylin’s passion lies in what she learned from him: everyone should benefit, from the farmers to the workers to the children. 🌱

With support from MEDA’s RIISA project, funded by the Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada, Cherrylin scaled production through improved processing systems, food safety training, and business support, creating decent jobs for women and youth while building a reliable market for smallholder cacao farmers.

Pilot production delivered 33,036 milk pouches and contributed to an increase in children’s nutrition outcomes, while creating 12 full‑time and six part‑time jobs across the cacao and dairy value chain. 📈

By connecting farmers, processors, and institutional buyers, RIISA shows how market‑driven, inclusive investment can deliver shared benefits across nutrition, livelihoods, and local agri‑food systems.

🔗 Read more ➡️ https://www.meda.org/news/blog/how-tablea-milk-is-nourishing-11000-children-and-transforming-davaos-cacao-value-chain/