Around the world, women represent only one‑third of researchers and about 35 percent of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) graduates, a figure that has barely shifted in a decade. This untapped potential and equality gap is mirrored throughout agrifood systems, where women are a majority of agrifood workforce but are often unrecognized or unpaid for their work.

Gender equality in science and innovation is not a matter of fairness; it is essential for transforming agrifood systems. When women are excluded, so too are their ideas, their innovations, and their lived experiences. Promoting women and girls in STEM sectors strengthens the agrifood workforce, improves the relevance and impact of research, and accelerates progress towards more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.