A new e-learning course to help policy-makers and agricultural planners reduce gender inequalities in agriculture is now available free of charge.

The course, “Gender in Food and Nutrition Security,” was developed by FAO with the support of the European Union. It encourages the development of gender-responsive policies and programmes for food and nutrition security.

Including and empowering women is indispensable for agricultural and rural development. In its 2011 State of Food and Agriculture report, FAO demonstrated that closing the gender gap would increase farm yields by 20 to 30 percent and improve food security by 12 to 17 percent.

The e-learning course is an interactive introduction to gender issues in agriculture, designed to help professionals become more attuned to the social dynamics of the regions and communities in which they operate. It targets policy- and decision-makers in ministries, field project staff, statisticians and university students.

Being aware of local gender norms is essential for working effectively in any region, according to Aroa Santiago Bautista, a gender and social protection expert based at FAO’s regional office in Budapest.

In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, for example, many women who labor on family farms do not think of themselves as “farmers.” Instead, they leave that title to a male member of the household.

“If professionals want to successfully reach farmers and build a partnership, offer a training program, or provide new tools and resources, they must make an extra effort to include women who might believe that the support is not meant for them,” said Santiago Bautista.

The new course is part of a series, developed under the EU-FAO programme “Improved Global Governance for Hunger Reduction,” which focuses on food and nutrition security, climate change, social analysis, impact assessment, land governance and related topics.

All courses are offered free of charge. Over 200,000 learners to date have taken the courses, with 93 percent of those surveyed reporting that the courses are “well organized and easy to use.”

04 November 2014, Budapest, Hungary