Empowering women in agriculture: rethinking agricultural needs and actions through the eyes of women

Dear GFAR constituents,

 

I am pleased to report that from 13^th  to 15^th March, 2012, more than 760 participants from 50 countries gathered in India’s National Agricultural Science Centre in New Delhi for the first Global Conference on Women in Agriculture (GCWA). 

 

This historic event was co-organized by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI), in the context of a 2-year old GFAR initiative known as the Gender in Agriculture Partnership (GAP).  The GAP was created to address a major theme for action identified in the Roadmap of the Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD).

 

I take this opportunity to convey GFAR’s appreciation to the conference’s co-orgainisers (ICAR & APAARI), the sponsors (ACIAR, ADB, AUSAID, BMGF, CGIAR, DFID, IDRC, RAGA,TAAS, USAID and the World Bank), and the participants who made the conference the success it was. The conference is a key milestone which opens a new and exciting chapter in global efforts to close the gender gap. 

 

Here attached is a 2-page brief summarising the outcomes of this meeting.  I call upon all actors engaged in agricultural research and development to support and participate in the GAP and in the actions to empower women that will flow from it. 

 

Regards

 

Monty Jones

GFAR Chair