Close alignment between FAO recommendations and Canadian priorities on women's empowerment in agrifood systems
Ottawa, Canada - Globally, agrifood systems are a significant source of income for women, with 36 percent of working women around the world employed in agrifood systems. The new Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) report ‘The Status of Women in Agrifood Systems’ shows that persistent gender gaps in agrifood systems underpin rising food and nutrition insecurity for millions of women.
Closing the gender and wage gaps in agrifood systems - from food production through processing and distribution - would reduce food insecurity among 45 million people and improve the resilience to shocks and stresses like climate change and conflicts of 235 million people. Achieving gender equality would create a one trillion dollar boost to the global economy.
FAO took the report findings and recommendations to Ottawa, Canada on April 18 and 19. There the findings were presented to partners and discussed by leaders from the Canadian Parliament, Global Affairs Canada and leaders from civil society and the private sector.
In advance of the event, FAO Deputy Director General Beth Bechdol commented, “Globally, more than a third of working women are employed in agrifood systems. It’s time to recognize their contributions and to make these agrifood systems work better for women. It is simply unacceptable for women’s roles to be marginalized while they still lack access to land, inputs, finance and digital technology.”
On Tuesday, after opening comments by DDG Bechdol and a presentation of the report findings by Lauren Phillips, Deputy Director, Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality at FAO, Stephanie Hold, Director General of Social Development, Global Affairs Canada, moderated a panel discussion that included leaders from Canada civil society and private sector. Participants included Fernande Abanda, Senior Program Manager for Gender Equality and Food Security, Inter Pares; Stéphanie Guérard, Director Intelligence and Business Development, Développement International Desjardins; Karen Proud, President & CEO, Fertilizer Canada; and Carla Ventin, Senior Vice President, Government Relations with Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada.
Stephanie Hold launched the panel discussion by noting the alignment of the data and recommendations from the report with Canada’s initiatives in women’s empowerment. The discussion then opened with the perspective of each organization’s experience in how addressing gender barriers made an impact in their work. Afterwards, in a wide-ranging discussion of the barriers and opportunities to advancing women’s empowerment, panelists evoked issues such as the discrimination that women face in agrifood systems, the importance of reducing the domestic burden and providing adequate support for childcare, the need for inclusive financing, and the importance of local resources and food sovereignty for women. Visibility and women’s leadership in agrifood systems was a key opportunity evoked by panelists.
In closing remarks, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Vandenbeld, spoke about the Canadian government’s continued commitment to their feminist international assistance policy. She also remarked that the FAO report findings are a call to action to redouble collective efforts to achieve women’s equality in agrifood systems. Furthermore, Vandenbeld said “It’s the invisible that needs to be made visible” and that the empirical evidence from the report will provide solid underpinnings to programmes and investments targeted toward eliminating hunger. In closing, Vandenbeld recognized the significant contributions that rural women make to agriculture and food systems.
On Wednesday, in a closed session on Parliament Hill that included Senators and Members of the House of Commons, introductory comments were provided by Senator Robert Black, Chair of the Canadian Senators Group and Member of Parliament Kody Blois, Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. The Members of Parliament present expressed deep appreciation for the report and reiterated Canada’s advocacy for the empowerment of women in agriculture in Canada and around the world. It was further highlighted during the meeting that part of the solution to global food insecurity is the prioritization of resources needed to have an effective food system, including initiatives that support gender equality and equal opportunity for women.
Canada is a vital donor to FAO, ranking sixth among countries as a resource partner of the Organization. Furthermore, the Government of Canada is a global leader in advancing gender equality both domestically and abroad. In international policies and programming, Canada is pursuing a feminist approach, which encompasses diplomacy, trade, security, and development. Introduced in 2018, the Gender Results Framework (GRF) represents the Government of Canada’s vision for gender equality. Since GRF’s introduction, Canada has demonstrated its commitment to advancing gender equality through significant investments in key programs, policies and initiatives.
Additional information:
Full report: The status of women in agrifood systems
FAO Policy on Gender Equality 2020-2030