Why such a year?
The United Nations General Assembly declared 2026 the International Year of Women Farmers by adopting resolution A/78/L.59 at its 78th session in 2024. This initiative is part of in line with several sustainable development goals, including the fight against poverty, food security and gender equality, while building on the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (2019-2028).
This initiative recognizes the vital role of women in land sustainability, global food security and climate resilience. It aims to raise awareness, close gender gaps, and improve women's access to resources, services, and leadership in agri-food systems. While crucial to this sector, women face significant challenges: limited access to land, financial and technical constraints, and reduced access to services and education. The year therefore aims to encourage policies and investments that strengthen their empowerment.
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What do women farmers represent in the world?
Women represent approximately 36 % of the global agricultural workforce, According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO, 2023), in some regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, Over 60% of women's employment is linked to agriculture., Not by choice, but by necessity. Women are not only responsible for crops and livestock, but also for food processing, feeding their families and maintaining local markets, playing a crucial role in food production, processing and trade.
This high prevalence of women's employment in the agri-food systems of countries with low levels of economic development is explained by due to the limited opportunities available to women outside of agriculture. Inadequate education, limited access to basic infrastructure and markets, and a high intensity of unpaid work significantly constrain women's access to employment outside of farming.
The obstacles they face
Despite their crucial contributions to food security and economic resilience, women farmers face major systemic obstacles. Food insecurity disproportionately affects them: 31.9% of women are moderately or severely food insecure, compared to 27.6% of men. (FAO, 2023). Their contributions remain largely unknown and undervalued, while their working conditions remain precarious: informal, part-time, poorly paid and labor-intensive jobs. They earn 82 cents for every dollar earned by men (FAO, 2023) and have limited access to agricultural entrepreneurship. Women also face critical structural barriers: limited access to land, finance, technology, education and extension services, with a land productivity gap of 24 % (FAO, 2023). They own less livestock and lack access to mechanized equipment. Beyond these structural inequalities, women are disproportionately affected by crises: 22 women (%) lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to only 2 men (%). (FAO, 2023). Finally, they are more vulnerable to climate change and adopt short-term rather than long-term adaptation strategies.