More efforts should be made to promote a continuous improvement in Africa’s fashion industry with creative entrepreneurs with appropriate business plan, a senior manager of ‘Fashionomics Africa’ an initiative of the African development bank (AfDB)to foster the fashion sectoron the continent said Wednesday.
During a Fashionomics Africa Masterclass held Wednesday on the sideline of the Global Gender Summit (GGS) in Kigali, participants were equipped with skills on how to enhance access to markets and networks with the increasing access to finance using effective business plan. in their industry.
The Fashionomics Africa platform aims to enable African entrepreneurs operating in the fashion and textile industry to create and grow their businesses, with a focus on women and youth.
Latest estimates by the African development bank (AfDB) show that the textile and clothing industry presents a lot of potential for value added benefits and job creation on the continent.
According to the bank, it is estimated that up to 600% of value can be created along the cotton value chain: from cotton production, spinning and twisting into yarn, to weaving and knitting into fabric, followed by dying, printing and designing.
According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in communities across the world, women have protected and nurtured rich cultural value and traditional designs.
It said that investing in developing their skills to generate revenue in these areas leads to greater economic productivity and independence with social and political benefits for their communities. Since women are actively engaged throughout the fashion value chain, we see great potential for economic empowerment in rural areas as well as in urban centers.
Already active in Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Kenya, Fashionomics Africa is a pan-African program that aims to strengthen the value chain of the fashion sector, by investing in the African textiles, apparel and accessories industry and raising its profile on the international stage.
CU/abj/APA