![[Translate to Englisch:] AES Bordeaux 2025](/fileadmin/_processed_/a/3/csm_AESFranziska_d680bbc2af.jpg)
From April 14–16, 2025, PhD student Franziska Jäckel represented the Bioeconomy Economics research group at the 99th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society (AES), hosted at the University of Bordeaux.
She presented insights from her field work from Northern Ghana’s Tamale Metropolitan area, focusing on period poverty and the socio-economic potential of locally produced bio-based sanitary pads made from plantain fibre that are produced as an undervalued by-product in plantain cultivation.
Her research aims at highlighting how these innovative products can empower women through improved social and economic participation while also addressing environmental concerns: Reducing the ecological footprint of conventional sanitary products, which can take centuries to decompose as well as avoiding harmful emissions caused by open burning of agricultural waste in the field.
A strong case for sustainable solutions at the intersection of gender equity, public health, and environmental impact.