New grant programme will fund labour-saving agricultural machinery and equipment for women living in the Ateni, Plevi, Tvishi and Sori communities of Georgia.

After losing his crops to a cyclone, João Guerra now has to adapt his livelihood to survive a pandemic too.

Today, Istaahil is very much a businesswoman, using around 80 percent of the fruits and vegetables grown in the garden to supply food for the restaurant.

Being granted land was one of the main achievements of the project. However, for Cecilia, one that was even more important was the change of mindset within her community.

For Madino, and the other 20,700 families assisted during the last Deyr season, Cash+ support was a chance to exit hunger.

Karima’s saffron business is booming, with a little help from a FAO project.

In Egypt, the assessment started in Al-Minya governorate where four male farmers and eight female farmers were interviewed, providing information about their daily lives, gender roles, and dynamics, to inform FAO’s future interventions.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent restriction measures, including closed borders and weakened trade, have compounded the impact of the severe economic crisis that Lebanon has been enduring since late 2019.

Through partnerships with rural youth organizations, FAO has worked with young agricultural workers and entrepreneurs to understand their needs and mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic.

Besides supporting the diets of the social residential institution, the agricultural intervention yielded unexpected recreational results during the pandemic restrictions.

The vegetable group allows them to make an income safely and with the support of other women. Agok and her fellow women feel strongly about the amount of support the group provides.

This project allows families to generate income to cover their basic needs and helps prevent malnutrition, as eggs are rich in nutrients and protein.

Fartun recognises that enrolling in this project has made a “big change” in her life, allowing her to generate an income and support her family.

Empowering women by helping them become full and active members of FFPOs at all levels can help them be equal actors in transforming rural landscapes and economies.

“Without food, there is no health and without women, there is no food,” said Jessie Thomson of CARE Canada as she summarized key takeaway messages from the speakers.

Before coming into contact with the project, Fatemeh, Abolghasem – like many of their neighbours – could hardly see beyond making ends meet.

Three women farmers saw an opportunity to further their knowledge and benefits from farming when the FAO project “Dynamic Conservation and Sustainable Use of Agrobiodiversity in Traditional Agroecosystems of the Philippines” came to their community.

Encouraging tourists to take an interest in the unique way the local communities gather fish and cook with it will boost income for local communities and develop more sustainable value chains all year round.

“I am very happy to be part of this cooperative. We are not only enjoying new friendships with Syrian women, but also exploring new opportunities – in business and in building self-confidence," Derya added.

A Norad-funded FAO project currently starting up in Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Uganda places women in fisheries in focus.