Before I lose the male audience, obviously this is an exaggeration. The point is that a woman often assumes numerous roles. She is expected to be the housekeeper, cook, breadwinner, the home’s bookkeeper, wife, and above all, mother.  It has now been acknowledged – unfortunately, only quite recently – that we cannot ignore the power of women when it comes to rural development. Women are a source of incredible potential. They are fantastic multitaskers, responsible and caring.

The CFS side event Dimitra Clubs for improved food security and nutrition brings to light the various achievements attained, mainly through empowering the communities’ women. Quite befittingly, the project got its name from Demeter, the Greek goddess of harvest and agriculture. 

With a special focus on gender equality, the Dimitra project allows rural women and men to take development into their own hands and build a future by themselves. This community-driven approach has demonstrated staggering success: today there are over 2,000 Dimitra clubs consisting of about 60,000 members, 60% of whom are women. According to Ms Junko Sazaki, Director of the Social Policies and Rural Institutions Division at FAO, the clubs benefit more than 1.6 million people. The impact of Dimitra clubs goes beyond gender, to reach communities as a whole, instill social cohesion and strengthen the people’s resilience and ability to drive their own development, especially in fragile conditions.