Experts push for more women’s leadership in African agrifood systems
NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 9– Leading agricultural organizations have called for increased investment in women’s leadership to strengthen Africa’s agrifood systems.
Speaking during discussions marking International Women’s Day (IWD), CGIAR, the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and CIFOR-ICRAF underscored the need for gender-inclusive policies to bridge existing inequalities.
Despite playing crucial roles in food production, processing, and trade, women still face barriers such as limited access to land, credit, seeds, fertilizers, technology, and markets.
ILRI Director General Appolinaire Djikeng stressed the need for systemic change, urging stakeholders to act beyond statistics.
“Let us internalize the data, contextualize it, and identify solutions. Women’s empowerment benefits all of us,” he stated.
His remarks come ahead of the release of “The Status of Women in African Agrifood Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa” report, which details gender disparities and outlines strategies to enhance women’s participation in agriculture.
“There are still gender gaps in access and decision-making regarding resources, assets, and services in all areas of agrifood systems in Sub-Saharan Africa,” AWARD Director Susan Kaaria.
The experts called for targeted investments to ensure women have equal opportunities in driving Africa’s food security and economic growth.
