BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (WBA) unveiled a new wave of initiatives aimed at empowering women in rural communities by connecting them to international markets. Through strategic partnerships with India and the Sultanate of Oman, WBA is helping female entrepreneurs move beyond local limitations and into the global agricultural economy.

Lebogang Zulu, Executive Chairperson of BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (South Africa) in an interview for
Umthala TV, a partner of TV BRICS, stated that India’s successful model of rural economic inclusion – including cooperative development and banking the unbanked – served as a case study for South African cooperatives. Indian representatives visited South Africa to share knowledge and explore collaboration opportunities with women-led agricultural groups.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries from Oman expressed strong interest in sourcing fruits and vegetables from South African rural producers. In response, WBA facilitated direct engagement between Omani buyers and local women farmers. While quality standards need to be met, the partnership offers a significant boost – an offtake agreement that women can use to secure development funding and support for improving their operations.

“This is more than trade – it’s transformation. […] We are not just empowering women economically, we are rewriting the narrative of what rural women can achieve,” said a WBA representative.

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