International Fertilizer Association (IFA)’s Post

#DidYouKnow African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) has launched its 2023-2027 aiming to empower #African women scientists better and boost #GenderEquality in #agricultural #research and #policy! AWARD’s five-year plan is supported by three key pillars: 1️⃣ Investing in individuals 2️⃣ Strengthening institutions 3️⃣ Influencing the environment Learn more about the new roadmap to 2027👉 bit.ly/AWARD2027 #AWARDStrategy #GenderinAg #FoodSystems 

What does food system transformation look like at the national level and what do we need to do to support it. Catch this session if you can!

Throwback: Women at the center of Africa’s agrifood systems! Learn how innovative policies can help reduce the gap in gender equity, drive productivity, job creation, economic growth, and improved health outcomes in Africa’s agrifood systems. More from The Malabo Montpellier Panel report👇 https://shorturl.at/qsGY1

Food systems transformation is a complex undertaking but we are already seeing good practice emerging from African countries including #Nigeria. Join us at the #GAIN event to hear all about it👍🏽 #AGRF2023 #foodsystem

It is such a great honour to have taken the lead in organising the women's learning Event in Kenya which was aimed at inspiring sustainable change, through knowledge sharing,peer learning collaborations and promoting mentorship among rural women, linking it to the celebration of #internationaldayofruralwomen. From the event,it is proof that rural women can lead the conversation and provide solutions among themselves for sustainable #WomenEconomicempowerment, as well as the stakeholders in this field can partner for #sustainable #InclusiveAgribusiness advocacy. #inclusiveagribusiness #womeneconomicempowerment #ruraldevelopment #sustainabledevelopment

Women's empowerment is a complex concept to measure in development research. For the Impacting Gender & Nutrition through Innovative Technical Exchange in Agriculture (IGNITE) program we're working on in partnership with Tanager and 60 Decibels, we make use of the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI). This provides a standardized way to measure women's empowerment through agency and participation in decision-making. However, using the tool requires making adaptations to ensure high-quality data. Here are some key lessons we've learned using the Pro-WEAI tool with female farmers in Ethiopia: ✅ Understand the local context. ✅ Pilot instruments. ✅ Collect qualitative data. Read more from the blog written by our Research Associate Ioana Lungu: https://bit.ly/43ZH48o #IGNITEforchange #womensempowerment Digital Green Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA)

Breaking Barriers: Women in Agriculture As we conclude Women's Month in South Africa, it's essential to reflect on the strides made and the challenges that persist. In the agricultural sector, a powerful narrative is emerging—one that challenges stereotypes and empowers women, particularly those who might be labelled as "slay queens" or "cooperate baddies" in the workspace. Agriculture is no longer confined to traditional roles; it's a dynamic field offering diverse opportunities. A well-educated African woman possesses valuable expertise that drives innovation and sustainability. Her presence breaks down gender and racial barriers, inspiring the next generation to envision a different future. Women from historically marginalized backgrounds now possess not just Indigenous Knowledge but also the expertise and capability to assume roles as policymakers, implementers, and catalysts for change. Their influence intertwined with insight extends to shaping discussions, policies, and actions that impact the essential aspects of food security and community livelihoods in their respective origins. Diversity enhances performance and decision-making, contributing to comprehensive solutions for global challenges in food systems. However, negative perceptions still linger, deterring young people from entering the field, especially women. This perpetuates the male-dominated status quo. It's truly disheartening when women uphold these status quo that perpetuate inequalities and biases against their fellow women. As we celebrate and close Women's Month, let's actively challenge these perceptions. Encouraging young women to pursue agricultural education and careers is vital for industry growth. Embracing diversity not only honours the spirit of equity but also ensures a thriving and inclusive agricultural landscape for all with dynamic solutions. Agriculture is a field that encompasses a wide range of roles and opportunities, and it should be open to individuals from all walks of life, including "slay queens" or anyone else who is interested and capable. Author: Zafezeka Zikhali

In the heart of digital agriculture lies the potential to uplift smallholder farmers, yet the gender gap prevails, with only 25% of registered users in Africa being women. Our latest blog delves deep into this challenge and the transformative efforts of GSMA #AgriTech Accelerator cohort members— OKO in Mali, Esoko in Ghana, and JOKALANTE in Senegal.     Explore how these innovators are integrating female-friendly touchpoints to build trust and fostering inclusivity, revealing the critical role female agents play in not only bridging the gap but also refining digital solutions.     Learn more about how these models empower female farmers and how they contribute to a more inclusive digital agriculture ecosystem in our blog, supported by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) on behalf of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH: https://ow.ly/MJKm50Q8FiS    #AgriTech #AgriTechAcceletrator #i4Ag #smallholderfarmers 

In this post, GSMA - Mobile for Development shares some insights JOKALANTE uses to address the gender gap by collaborating with female agents to engage women farmers. #socialinclusion #gendergap #ruraldevelopment #agriculture #ICT4D

Intellecap in Africa helped #climatesmart enterprises scale and simultaneously mainstream gender across their value chain. #Agriculture remains one of the important sectors for the economic development of East Africa, contributing to >30% of GDP and providing livelihood opportunities to ~80% of the region’s rural population. However, climate change has a huge impact on low-income populations that rely on agriculture for their livelihoods – especially women, who comprise > 50% of the agri workforce in East Africa. Supported by International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Intellecap launched an accelerator to support climate-smart agriculture enterprises to scale and simultaneously mainstream gender across their value chain. Through the program, Intellecap is offering bespoke gender-transformative technical assistance & business support to generate evidence for the larger sector on the role of gender mainstreaming to advance low carbon development. If you want to learn more about how we collaborate and enable ecosystems, write to [email protected] #ImpactatScale #IntellecapImpact #ForPeopleandPlanet