Empowering Women in Agriculture: A Global Push for Gender Equality
ICAR aims to bolster women's roles in agriculture by developing a national platform that connects over 900 institutions. At a conference, the Delhi Declaration was adopted, advocating for gender-responsive policies and offering women access to resources and leadership in agri-food systems.
- Country:
- India
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is spearheading an initiative to enhance women's participation in the agriculture sector through a national gender platform linking more than 900 institutions. This move comes as an international conference concluded with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration, aiming to boost women's leadership in agri-food systems.
ICAR Director General ML Jat announced the platform's goal of connecting ICAR institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and agricultural universities to bolster research, extension, and capacity-building efforts focused on female farmers. The declaration commits stakeholders to gender-responsive policies, advocating for women's access to essential resources such as land, finance, and technology.
Conference discussions highlighted women's significant contributions to agricultural labor, accounting for 60 to 70 percent globally, yet they face barriers in credit, markets, and decision-making. Experts called for stronger institutional collaboration and emphasized the importance of gender-disaggregated data to inform policy and support women's entrepreneurship in agriculture.
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