In the Plateaux region of Togo, the natural richness of the soil means that farming is the primary livelihood of those who live there. In the Kpélé Prefecture, in the south-west, the relatively mild climates and good rainfall should make it perfect for agriculture. However, the farming communities have witnessed...

Amplifying the voices of women farmers is proving an effective way to help tackle gender inequality and promote agroecology, helping small-scale farmers take back power over their land.

This research focuses on the challenges faced by women in Afghanistan with regard to economic empowerment, particularly in the agricultural sector. This sector is critical to the country's economy, but women remain marginalized despite contributing significantly. Various barriers, including limited access to resources and cultural norms, hinder their participation. The...

The Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA) were prepared at the request of Members in an inclusive, transparent and participatory manner under the guidance of the Sub-Committee on Aquaculture of the FAO Committee on Fisheries. The GSA offer a comprehensive framework for the management and development of sustainable aquaculture and are...

In this article, agricultural economist Lesley Hope underscores the central role of women smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, who make up more than half of the region’s 33 million smallholders. Farming plots under two hectares, these women face barriers to land, finance, and equipment but carry deep knowledge of ecosystems,...

Women agricultural workers are essential to the growth of Morocco’s agricultural sector, yet they continue to face significant challenges. These include insecure employment (lack of contracts, social protection, etc.), undervaluation of their work, and limited recognition. This policy brief examines these issues and proposes actionable solutions to enhance their working...

The soil of Rabinal, a small town located in the department of Baja Verapaz, Guatemala, holds stories of resistance and memory. At dawn, the sound of the ‘metate’ grinding stone and the aroma of corn reflect the continuity of an ancient agricultural tradition of the Maya Achi people. These communities...

Emma had it all, including an award-winning advertising career in Nairobi, when she decided that she was tired of the rat race and wanted to spend more time out of doors. So she took some training in business management and in dairy, and since 2002 she has been driving out...

The vision of the Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA) is of an aquaculture sector that contributes significantly to a world free from hunger and to the equitable improvement of the living standards of all actors in its value chain, including the poorest, and: 1) advances towards more productive, efficient, resilient,...

Land degradation is one of the most urgent environmental problems affecting Mexico in the 21st century and the Americas region. It is exacerbated in the context of climate change. Mexican rural sectors, especially women and Indigenous Peoples, have played a fundamental role in soil management and mitigating adverse climatic conditions...

In this blog, Aparna Radhakrishnan shares her experience with leading the implementation of the SHG Module of the Rural Agricultural Work Experience (RAWE) programme for the final year BSc Agriculture students. 

And, in a community garden in North Londonsumptuous, fecund soil sends a charge of good energy through the solesof a brown-skinned barefoot baby, learning that dirt is not just dirt.“Women who lead with the land” plant light fragrant Cho Cho, milky Soursop,magenta fire skinned Dragon Fruit, cream fleshed Sweet Potato,...

La presente publicación sistematiza la experiencia desarrollada en los departamentos bolivianos de Oruro y Potosí, enfocada en el estudio de seis zonas caracterizadas por su alta vulnerabilidad al estrés hídrico, en un contexto de cambio climático y de recurrencia del fenómeno de El Niño.Se describen las condiciones hidrometeorológicas de la...

Esta cartilla presenta el proyecto “Incremento de la resiliencia climática basada en ecosistemas de comunidades rurales vulnerables en la macrorregión de los Valles del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia”. Ejecutado por la FAO y financiado por el Fondo Verde para el Clima, el proyecto tiene como objetivo mejorar los medios de...

Reducing gender inequalities in food insecurity and malnutrition, access to productive resources, decent working conditions, training, financing, technology, and rural care services in communities is key to advancing the empowerment of women and achieving equitable, sustainable, and resilient agrifood systems in Latin America and the Caribbean. At the same time, rural,...

This case study highlights the experiences of rural women farmers in Tanzania, focusing on the story of Mama Aisha, a smallholder farmer in Kilosa. Despite their critical role in agricultural production and family livelihood, rural women face systemic challenges in accessing formal financial services due to limited mobility, lack of...

SPARC's new documentary shines a spotlight on one of the most critical, but marginalised livelihoods in Africa – and paints a rarely seen picture of the dynamism of people living in the drylands.

En el corazón del campo mexicano, millones de mujeres trabajan día y noche para alimentar al país. Sin embargo, su esfuerzo sigue siendo ignorado, subvalorado y, en muchos casos, explotado. A pesar de que realizan el 60% del trabajo agrícola , solo el 25% son dueñas de las tierras que cultivan , evidenciando una...

Tanzania is building sustainable cassava-seed systems for high-quality seed through cassava seed entrepreneurs. However, women are often shut out of such business opportunities due to their lack of land, capital, and social norms that limit their mobility and literacy.

Belarus has eliminated extreme poverty, and economic growth and a stable system of social benefits mean that the national poverty rate is low. However, gender and spatial disparities still exist, with the rural population at greater risk of income poverty. In terms of individual poverty levels, women fare better than...