Root Capital’s Director of Women in Agriculture Initiative, Leonor Gutiérrez, delivers a systems change talk to a packed auditorium at SOCAP24. Credit: SOCAP
This year, I was honored to represent Root Capital at SOCAP24—a premier gathering of diverse leaders dedicated to advancing positive social impact. The event offered a unique opportunity to share the stage with inspiring changemakers and connect with a global community of like-minded visionaries.
I used this platform to amplify a perspective that has guided my career: despite the unjust hardships they face, women possess the power to be global agents of change.
Jazmin Rivera Jiménez and Coopetarrazú
Jazmin Rivera Jiménez (right) admires the coffee fields in Los Santos, Costa Rica. Credit: Coopetarrazu
Take, for example, Jazmin Rivera Jiménez.
Jazmin grew up amidst the coffee fields of Los Santos, a biodiverse region in my home country of Costa Rica. After her father’s passing, she and her seven siblings worked alongside their mother on the family’s small coffee farm. Like many smallholder farmers, Jazmin faced immense challenges—limited resources, volatile crop prices, and extreme weather.
These challenges are compounded for women. Despite providing up to 70% of the labor in coffee, women own only about 30% of farms. They often lack access to critical resources, education, and economic opportunities, while also carrying the weight of domestic responsibilities and confronting entrenched, sometimes discriminatory, cultural norms.
That’s why smallholder farmers often come together in cooperatives like Coopetarrazú, where Jazmin has been a member for 19 years. In fact, Jazmin earned a Master’s degree in accounting and now serves as the cooperative’s Finance Manager.
Since 2018, Root Capital has partnered with Coopetarrazú, providing over $9 million in financing and 20+ business management trainings. This investment has enabled the cooperative to transform their community. They’ve introduced child labor prevention programs, reforestation efforts, and initiatives to ensure children of seasonal workers receive balanced meals and care during the harvest season.
Promoting Systems Change Through Collaboration
In addition to partnering with businesses like Coopetarrazú, Root Capital drives systems change by amplifying stories, sharing research, and fostering collaboration.
For instance, in the past 18 months, we launched three Women’s Councils—in Africa, Central America, and South America. These councils create spaces for women leaders to share knowledge, solve challenges, and scale their impact. Together, they represent businesses generating over $175 million in annual sales, supporting 32,000 rural families, and benefiting more than 200,000 people.
These women are redefining leadership in some of the world’s most challenging environments, proving that women are not just participants—they are catalysts for progress in their communities and beyond.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who attended my talk at SOCAP and visited Root Capital’s booth to learn more about our groundbreaking gender equity work. This year’s conference left me energized and optimistic about the growing momentum for women in agriculture. It is up to all of us to keep this momentum going.