Growing progress: Women at the Heart of Our Food Systems

This International Women’s Day, join us to celebrate the leadership, knowledge, and resilience of women farmers and pastoralists.

Women power our food systems.

More than one-third of all working women globally are employed in food.

Women’s economic empowerment is fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The United Nations has declared 2026 the Year of the Woman Farmer, alongside the Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. This global spotlight underscores the contributions women make across food systems, from production and processing to nutrition and community resilience. Yet, despite their central role, women in food continue to face systemic barriers, including limited access to land, finance, technology and markets.

When women have equitable opportunities to earn, learn and lead, the benefits extend well beyond individuals, strengthening families, communities and economies. Access to good food is central to this vision, ensuring that girls and women can afford and consume nutritious diets for a well‑nourished and productive future.

By focusing on women’s leadership and lived realities, we can accelerate progress towards ending hunger and malnutrition while building stronger, more inclusive and sustainable food systems. Their stories remind us that empowering women farmers is not only about equity, but about securing a shared future of healthy and resilient food systems.

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