Agrifood: FAO Advocates Equal Access to Digital Technology, Education for Women

Gilbert Ekugbe

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have stressed the need for women to have equal access to digital technology and education, which would enable them to play more active and effective roles in agrifood systems across the globe.

This was the crux of an event co-organised by FAO, IFAD and WFP to celebrate the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023 in Rome, Italy

According to them, inclusive access to digital technologies and education is crucial to reducing gender inequalities and empowering rural women and girls

Although, recognising the fact that digitalisation on its own could not solve all the gender-related disadvantages women face, but they believed that if provided with equal access to digital technology and education, women could have more active impact in developing agrifood systems.

“Admittedly, it is discouraging to celebrate International Women’s Day in a time when we are going backwards on gender equality and are seeing widening gender gaps in science, technology and innovation,” said the FAO’s Deputy Director-General, Ms. Beth Bechdol.  

Bechdol said: “When we invest in rural women, we invest in resilience, in the future of our communities and in creating a more inclusive and equitable world – one where no one is left behind.”  

IFAD Associate Vice-President, Strategy and Knowledge Department, Jyotsna Puri, said that without increased access to digital technology and innovation, rural women and girls will continue to face barriers and socio-economic disadvantages that would make it harder for them to fully participate in rural economies.

“Gender inequality and the urban-rural divide will only worsen unless we create a more inclusive and prosperous society for everyone,” Purin advocated.

The WFP’s Deputy Executive Director, Valerie Guarnieri, added that food security for households and communities is in the hands of the women, stressing that it is only through women’s empowerment that economies can build a world where no one goes to sleep hungry.

“Putting resources in the hands of women is a no-brainer and with this comes the transfer of knowledge and skills including digital literacy to help these women realize their full potential. Now that is the kind of game changer that we can all get behind,” Guarnieri charged.