Women We Love | Korka Diaw, Farmer & Women’s Rights Activist
Korka Diaw is a national leader and an advocate for Senegal’s women farmers, who also runs a 16,000-strong initiative REFAN, and joins national discussions on women’s economic empowerment.
She began as a farmer back in 1991 in rural Senegal. With no collateral or bank loan, she was allocated a small inferior plot of land by the local government and she got to work.
After setting up a drip irrigation system and harvesting her first crops, she began sharing her knowledge of farming techniques, securing finance, and creating a business plan.
Her appetite for information grew and birthed REFAN (the French acronym for Network of Women Farmers in the North of Senegal), which now numbers 16,000 women.
REFAN’s operating model creates jobs, and access to financing, and offers members essential training and educational opportunities, paving the way for their financial independence.
REFAN, which started as a resource for women rice farmers in northern Senegal, opened up to fisherfolk and traders, making up 30% of its membership.
Diaw grew to overcome challenges as she started when women were not involved in farming in 1991. She expanded her farms and built processing facilities. Her company now employs 40 people across Senegal.
