Civil Society Statement to FAO Member Governments on Vital Role of Women in Agriculture and Rural Development
In the midst of this food crisis, characterized by market volatility and an increase of the world's hungry by 44 million since June 2010, women and children living in rural areas are struggling disproportionately despite the huge contribution they make to agriculture. The FAO State of Food and Agriculture Report 2010-2011 writes that investing in women in agriculture could increase yields and decrease global hunger by 12-17 percent, or by between 100 and 150 million people. At the recent IV LDC Conference in Istanbul, UN Women's Executive Director Michelle Bachelet addressed governments, saying that "investments in rural women's access to productive resources and financial services can have critical multiplier effects on rural development." She asked the obvious question: why isn't this kind of investment happening?
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) member governments and newly appointed Director General must respond to this question by acting now to provide leadership through a commitment to support women in agriculture and rural development.
Attached please find the Women's CSO Statement -in English, French and Spanish.
Related Files
Women's CSO Statement -English (282 kB)- Women's CSO Statement -French (150 kB)
- Women's CSO Statement -Español (233 kB)
