Women farmers play a crucial role in agri-food systems and their empowerment is essential for their transformation, said President Droupadi Murmu at the International Research Conference on ‘From Research to Impact: Towards Just and Resilient Agri-Food Systems’ in New Delhi today.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that women form the bulk of the lowest pyramid of the agriculture structure but are denied the opportunity to climb the ladder to assume the role of decision-makers. She added that across the world, they are held back by discriminatory social norms and barriers to knowledge, ownership, assets, resources, and social networks.
The President said that making agri-food systems more just, inclusive, and equitable is not only desirable but also crucial for the well-being of the planet and humankind. She called for research that can enable conditions to reach these goals, adding that we need a systematic understanding of how to transform agri-food systems.
The conference is being hosted by the CGIAR Gender Impact Platform and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from around the world to discuss how to make agri-food systems more just and resilient.
The President’s speech highlighted the importance of women farmers in agri-food systems and the need to address the challenges they face. Her call for action is a timely reminder of the need to empower women farmers and make them partners in transforming our food systems.
