Digital skills training: Enabling access to digital advisory tools for women in Nepal
In a world where digital solutions are rapidly transforming agriculture, too many women, especially in rural areas, remain on the periphery of this revolution. This was evident during the promotion of CABI digital tools in Nepal, where we noticed that many smallholder farmers, particularly women, lacked the digital skills needed to access and use information…
Male champions of gender equality – how are they supporting women’s empowerment in Zambia?
Male champions of gender equality are helping to empower women in Zambia. Meet Sibajene Mudenda – an agricultural economist with the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI). He is a strong advocate of women’s empowerment and a male champion of gender equality. Until now, he has concentrated on applying technology in agriculture. But recently, to complement…
Women farmers in Uganda: Plant clinic challenges and progress
When women play a greater role in agriculture, food security improves, and entire communities benefit. Yet, despite comprising around 43% of the rural agricultural workforce, women often face significant barriers to accessing the agricultural services they need to thrive. This includes advisory services, such as plant clinics, which support farmers in managing pests and diseases…
Empowering women farmers through Gender Technical Working Groups
How PlantwisePlus is championing gender equality in agriculture through GTWGs Gender Technical Working Groups play a vital role in advancing equality in rural communities. Women in villages often have less access to knowledge, resources and power than men. They are less likely to be able to attend agricultural training. In addition, many struggle to secure…
The power of street theatre – a novel approach to sharing farming know-how
Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. However, many farmers lack access to crucial knowledge about sustainable practices. This is especially true for women. While women form around 66% of the agricultural workforce in Pakistan, they receive a fraction of the extension advice. This poses a challenge when it comes to pesticide risk reduction. In…
Pesticide risks for farmers in Sri Lanka: The overlooked gender divide
This month marks International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is ‘Accelerate Action’, calling for increased momentum and urgency to address gender barriers such as those to agricultural advice. Empowering women with knowledge and information enables them to reduce pesticide risks more effectively and swiftly. In this blog, we look at pesticide risks for women farmers in…
CABI calls for gender equality for rural women in Pakistan
Every year, Rural Women’s Day is celebrated on 15 October. It recognizes the valuable contributions that women living in rural communities make to agriculture, food security and rural development. In Pakistan, this is important. According to Relief Web, Pakistan’s total female population is over 101 million. However, around 64 million women – more than half…
Gender equality and youth inclusion: ten focus areas for impact
UN Women recently published The Gender Snapshot 2024. While the report highlighted some positive developments, no indicator under SDG Goal 5, Gender Equality, has been achieved. Women comprise around 43% of the agricultural workforce in low- and middle-income countries. However, their responsibilities and capacity are too often diluted by gender inequalities. Breaking down the barriers to women…
How PlantwisePlus and Grameen Foundation are driving change for women farmers in India
In India, women farmers play a crucial role in agriculture, contributing significantly to activities like seed production, sowing, weeding, transplanting, threshing, and harvesting. Despite making up a substantial portion of the agricultural workforce, their access to advisory services is limited. Many agricultural services do not cater to their specific needs, resulting in a gap between…
Empowering women farmers in Ghana: Introducing the gender handbook for extension agents
At 42%, women form a large and important part of the global agricultural work force. In Ghana, this figure is even higher. Here, women make up 52% of the labour force and produce 70% of food crops. However, gender norms and stereotypes often prevent them from fully participating in decision-making on family farms. This impacts…