5 reasons to increase gender-equal education in agriculture

Chinyunyu Plant Clinic in Rufunsa district, Zambia
In agriculture, a domain where women play a pivotal yet often underrepresented role, promoting gender-equal education is not just a matter of equity but also a catalyst for community advancement. International Women’s Day, recently celebrated, serves as a poignant reminder of the strides made and the challenges that remain in achieving gender equality across various…
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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…
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Empowering women farmers with digital tools in India

A woman farmer in India
In India, 59 per cent of women work in agriculture. This workforce is vital to the country’s rural economy, with women performing many of the big farming jobs, such as planting, weeding, tending, and harvesting crops. 
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Embracing equity for women farmers

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Women farmers make up around 43% of the agricultural labour force and produce over half of all food grown worldwide. Yet, when you picture a farmer, are they a woman?  This year’s International Women’s Day theme is ‘embrace equity’ and its aim is to get the world talking about why equal opportunities aren’t enough. People…
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Innovation on the ground can be critical for gender integration

Female farmer walks along dirt track holding vegetable crop, Kenya
Gender-based social norms are major barriers to women accessing agricultural extension advice and adopting new practices.  Although women make up 43% of the global agricultural labour force, just how gender-equitable are extension services like Plantwise?
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Inspiring Women in Science: An interview with Malvika Chaudhary

Women in science, Malvika Chaudhary
Science needs women and girls, but they continue to be overlooked. International Day of Women and Girls in Science aims to inspire women and girls to have greater representation in the field of science.   CABI is proud of the invaluable contribution its own female scientists have made in applying scientific expertise to solve problems in…
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"Work hard and always try to give your best – no matter what people say"

Yelitza Colmenarez in a sunflower field
In honour of International Women’s Day, Dr Yelitza Colmenarez, Plantwise Regional Coordinator for Latin America and Caribbean and Country Director of CABI Brazil, reveals the motivation and inspiration behind her career in science communications and says her mother and grandfather’s advice has helped her overcome barriers faced as a professional woman.
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Why intersectionality is key to women’s empowerment in agriculture

Women play a critical and potentially transformative role in agricultural growth in developing countries, but they face persistent obstacles and economic contraints which limit their full inclusion in agriculture. The FAO suggest that closing the gender gap in access to productive resources could increase agricultural output in the developing world by 2.5-4%, reducing the number…
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International Women’s Day 2014: Women in agriculture

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I would like to acknowledge Abigail Rumsey, Claire Curry, Emily Palmer and Léna Durocher-Granger for their contributions to this blog post. For over a century countries globally have celebrated International Women’s Day as a day to reflect on the role of women in society. In honor of International Women’s Day 2014 we are giving a…
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