Across Africa, women form the backbone of agriculture, accounting for nearly 60% of the farming workforce. Yet many lack secure land rights, access to credit, and links to formal markets (FAO, UN Women). According to the United Nations Development Programme, closing the gender gap in agriculture could boost food production by up to 30%, potentially lifting over 100 million people out of poverty.
ATS — a leader in remote site and camp management and part of the Tsebo Solutions Group — is responding through its Mega Farming Projects. With over 270 projects now active across the continent, ATS is building inclusive, sustainable food systems that place women at the centre.
Currently, 42% of all project beneficiaries are women — a strong indicator of progress, but not the finish line. Women are prioritised in project selection, supported with tools and targeted training, and empowered to grow sustainable agri-enterprises. In 2024 alone, over 240 tonnes of cereals were processed by women’s groups using newly introduced machinery, expanding local value chains and enabling greater ownership from production through to commercialisation.
Each new project reflects ATS’s long-term vision: to help women thrive not only as contributors but as owners and leaders in agricultural development.
The Mega Farming Projects, implemented under the ATS Legacy Programme, are designed to support agri-preneurs and Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in remote, often resource-scarce areas. With a holistic development model, ATS provides:
- Technical and financial support, including training in sustainable, modern farming methods
- Access to improved seeds, irrigation systems and eco-friendly pest control
- Business development support in pricing, invoicing, food safety, and quality control
- Guaranteed offtake markets — with produce purchased for ATS catering kitchens at client sites
Since inception, the programme has delivered meaningful impact:
- +700 host communities engaged across pan-African remote and mining sites
- +430 cooperative members supported
- 18 new projects initiated in 2024
- 18–30 tonnes of fruit and vegetables are produced annually per major project
- +80% of supported projects now benefit from structured market access
By investing in women and local capability, ATS is growing not only crops but livelihoods, leadership, and lasting prosperity across Africa’s rural economies.