If women farmers had the same access to resources as men, productivity could increase by 20 to 30 percent, according to FAO data. Yet females – who make up 43 percent of the agricultural labour force globally – are often viewed as unpaid family labour. Their contribution goes unrecognized, and they lack access to the rural services enjoyed by their male counterparts.

In Azerbaijan, things are starting to change. Equal access to rural services for women, along with gender-sensitive agricultural extension services and personnel, are goals of an FAO project now active here. The initiative is financed by the Government of Turkey, and benefits from the technical expertise of FAO and Turkey. The three-way collaboration among Azerbaijan, Turkey and FAO falls under the FAO-Turkey Partnership Programme.