From Curiosity to Conviction: Why I Chose Agriculture and Rural Women

Hello World Pulse Community,

My name is Peace Lopez, a farmer , agriculture and food systems analyst and a cassava value chain expert.

If someone had told me years ago that agriculture would become one of the most important parts of my life’s work, I would have laughed.

Like many people, I thought agriculture was simply about planting crops and harvesting food. It was something people did. Important, yes, but not something I imagined would shape my future.

Then, when I was about thirteen years old, I visited a cassava farm.

I cannot fully explain what happened that day. Nothing dramatic occurred.

There was no life changing speech or sudden revelation. Yet something about that experience stayed with me. A seed of curiosity was planted, and although life moved on, that curiosity never completely disappeared.

Almost ten years later, I found myself returning to it.

I became a cassava farmer.

What began as curiosity quickly became a passion. As I spent more time in agriculture, I started meeting people whose lives depended on it.

Farmers who invested everything they had into a planting season. Women who worked tirelessly on farms yet remained invisible in conversations about funding, leadership, and economic development. Communities with incredible potential but limited access to information, opportunities, and networks.

And that is when I realized something important.

Agriculture is not really about crops.

It is about people.

It is about dignity.

It is about opportunity.

It is about hope.

The deeper I went, the more questions I asked.

Why were some farmers succeeding while others struggled?

Why did access to information make such a difference?

Why were the women producing so much of our food often the ones with the least access to resources and decision making opportunities?

These questions led me into the world of agricultural data and food systems.

I became fascinated by how information can shape decisions, reduce risks, and create better outcomes for farmers and communities.

But most importantly, I became passionate about rural women.

I saw their resilience.

I saw their strength.

I saw their determination.

And I also saw how often their contributions went unrecognized.

That conviction eventually led me to establish Her Harvest Africa, a social enterprise focused on empowering rural women through agriculture, education, data, storytelling, leadership development, and economic opportunities.

I believe that when a woman is empowered, a family is strengthened. When families are strengthened, communities grow. And when communities grow, nations prosper.

I joined World Pulse because I believe in the power of women learning from and supporting one another. I hope to connect with women from different parts of the world, learn from your experiences, share my own journey, and build meaningful relationships with fellow changemakers.

As I begin this journey here, I would love to hear from you:

What experience first sparked your passion for the work you do today?

Thank you for reading my story. I look forward to learning from yours.

Peace Lopez

Founder, Her Harvest Africa