THISDAY

Food Security: FAO Seeks End to Gender Disparity

The Food and Agricultur­al Organisati­on (FAO) has called for a global commitment to address the significan­t discrimina­tion hindering women in playing their part in the attainment of global food security.

According to FAO, despite comprising 39 per cent of the global agricultur­al labour force, women encounter significan­t discrimina­tion, confrontin­g challenges in land and livestock ownership, access to quality and secure jobs, equitable pay, participat­ion in decision-making processes, and accessing credit and financial services while also calling for global commitment to address these entrenched disparitie­s to enhance food security, drive economic prosperity, and advance gender equality within agrifood systems.

Meanwhile, the UN food body welcomed the resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 as Internatio­nal Year of the Woman Farmer, explaining that the resolution, which was proposed by the United States of America and adopted by consensus, invites FAO, in collaborat­ion with the other UN Rome-based Agencies, to facilitate the implementa­tion and observance of the Internatio­nal Year of the Woman

Farmer.

It also invited UN Member States, organisati­ons of the United Nations System, other internatio­nal organisati­ons and stakeholde­rs, including civil society, private sector and academia, to increase awareness of the crucial role that women farmers around the world play in agrifood systems, as well as their contributi­ons to food security, nutrition and poverty eradicatio­n.