FAO launched a program to empower rural women in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched the Accelerating Rural Women's Empowerment and Environmental Sustainability Program, a regional initiative with pilots in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Honduras. 

The program's objective is to recognize, promote, and support the potential of rural women producers to contribute to and benefit from economic growth, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem restoration. It focuses on rural, Indigenous, young, and Afro-descendant women.

"This program is a concrete response to the urgent need to address gender inequalities in agrifood systems and climate challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean," emphasized FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, Mario Lubetkin, during the initiative's launch.

"We will work together with our regional and national partners to continue strengthening governmental capacities and designing policies that strengthen the role of rural women in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration, integrating gender-transformative perspectives and promoting their economic, social, environmental, and political empowerment," added Lubetkin. 

Laura Suazo, Head of the Honduran Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, said: "I welcome the methodology proposed by this project for women's field schools. It has proven to be very effective and allows us, as facilitators and extensionists, in alliance with other private sector organizations and NGOs, to continue strategically promoting this scenario to increase the power of rural women, especially in economic activity.   

"We appreciate FAO's consistent involvement in Jamaica's agricultural sector. We have supported women's groups through initiatives associated with production, nutrition, and food," said Dwayne Henry, Director of Project Management and Coordination at Jamaica's Rural Agricultural Development Authority.

"We know that agriculture needs more attention to avoid stagnation in economic growth. Investment must be made to promote exponential growth, and this will only be possible when women's skills are integrated into productive activities with profits and profitability, which will help overcome poverty and promote sustainable development," remarked Yndira Mejía, Director of the Women's Sectoral Office for Agriculture and Livestock, Dominican Republic. 

"We are betting that this program can implement field schools for farmers with gender-transformative approaches that promote biodiversity conservation," proposed Elsa Sánchez, Marketing Technician of the National Farmers' Coordination of the Dominican Republic.

The program's first phase will implement a field school initiative for women farmers to improve their skills and promote their empowerment and economic autonomy. At the same time, government officials will be trained to develop and implement policies that recognize and strengthen rural women's role in environmental conservation. 

Finally, to broaden the program's scope, a regional platform for knowledge exchange and cooperation will be launched to promote collaboration, provide technical support, and provide comprehensive support for the empowerment of rural women through digital tools, training, workshops, and events tailored to their needs.

This collaboration between FAO and the governments of the region represents a crucial opportunity to move towards inclusive and sustainable rural development. It highlights the importance of the economic, social, and political empowerment of rural, Indigenous, youth, and afro-descendant women for the creation of a more resilient and equitable future.

The program promotes the use of digital technologies and innovative practices to improve agricultural production and the integration of rural women into markets. It also aligns with the Rural Women, Women with Rights Campaign, facilitating cooperation between governments, the private sector, and civil society. 

Video