Empowering Rural Women Through Innovation – Celebrating the International Day of Rural Women

On average, women make up more than 40 percent of the agricultural labor force in developing countries, ranging from 20 percent in Latin America to 50 percent or more in parts of Africa and Asia.

Less than 15% of landholders worldwide are women.

In some countries, over 50% of girls from poor rural households will be married as children.

Source: ILO 2018

On International Day of Rural Women, we honor the incredible contributions of rural women to agriculture and food systems across the globe. These women, including indigenous women, play a vital role in agricultural development, improving food security, and eradicating poverty. However, they continue to face significant barriers, from limited resource access to underrepresentation in decision-making processes.

Why Focus on Rural Women??

Achieving gender equality is not only the right thing to do but a crucial strategy in the fight against poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. Women comprise a substantial portion of the agricultural labor force and perform the bulk of unpaid care and domestic work in rural areas. Despite their significant contributions to agricultural production and food security, rural women face unique challenges—unequal access to land, credit, and markets—and are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change.

Rural women in agriculture are key to building climate resilience and driving the transformation of food systems. With the right investments and innovations, rural women can uplift their communities, reduce poverty, and build more sustainable agricultural practices.

At Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) , we recognize the importance of empowering rural women and are proud to support several Innovation Sprint Partners who are driving climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovations that specifically address gender inequality. These initiatives are crucial to supporting rural women farmers, ensuring they have access to the resources, training, and opportunities they deserve.

Here are some of the AIM for Climate Innovation Sprint Partners working to empower rural women in agriculture:

Scaling-up Innovative Climate Adaptive Practices and Technologies for Smallholders in Bangladesh

$50 million

This initiative by BRAC and (Former) Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture will support over one million smallholders, with at least 35% being women, by providing climate-smart innovations to diversify farms and improve resilience.

Unlocking Food Security in Africa with Sustainable Energy Solutions

$50 million

Genesis Energy introduces solar-powered drip irrigation systems to farmers in Zambia and Nigeria, with a particular focus on empowering women by providing agricultural and operational training.

Water and Energy for Food MENA Regional Innovation Hub

$33 million

Water and Energy for Food Grand Challenge (WE4F) in the MENA region are supporting up to 50 innovators and 750,000 smallholder farmers, 25% of whom are women, to scale climate-smart agriculture solutions across the MENA region.

Addressing Gender Inequality through Climate Action in Agrifood Systems

$31 million

The CGIAR initiative is leveraging funds to ensure climate innovations are designed for women, addressing underlying gender inequalities in agriculture.

Innovative and Impact-Oriented Delivery of Climate-Resilient Bean Varieties in Africa

$20 million

The Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) and its partners are empowering smallholder women farmers by accelerating the delivery of climate-resilient bean varieties to help increase productivity and access to remunerative markets.

Accelerating African Women’s Leadership in Climate Action

$2.5 million

This initiative led by African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) will train African women to lead equitable climate solutions and influence policy changes that benefit smallholders’ livelihoods.

Let’s recognize the incredible role rural women play in the world’s food systems and support the initiatives that aim to uplift them. Empowering rural women is not just about creating equal opportunities; it’s about ensuring sustainable, resilient food systems for all.