During the EU GreenWeek 2023, the SFS-MED project hosted its fifth webinar with a focus on Gender equality in Mediterranean Food Systems. The webinar entitled “Women as key players in greening Mediterranean food systems: drivers and challenges” was held on the 5^th of June 2023 and focused on empowering women in the Mediterranean food systems paving the way for the greening of said system. The event is part of the SFS-MED webinar series, jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), and the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) within the framework of the SFS-MED Platform, a multi-stakeholder initiative for Sustainable Food Systems in the Mediterranean.

The webinar had a multi-stakeholder approach inviting to the discussion representatives from institutions, civil society, researchers, governments, and food systems entrepreneurs.  Well attended with over 200 participants online, the focus was on how to increase and maintain female leaders in the greening of Mediterranean food systems. Lauren Philips, Deputy Director, Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality at FAO delivered the opening remarks, sharing highlights from the recently released FAO report “The status of women in agrifood systems”. 

Frida Krifca, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Albania and President of the Governing Board at CIHEAM stressed in her keynote remarks the importance of Mediterranean women having greater control over assets like water, land, and mobility. She also highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach in terms of access to resources and gender-responsive budgeting and accounting.

The event had five panelists from civil society, the private sector, and academia who have their ideas and reflection on the role of woman in greening food systems and how to transform the food systems in a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive manner. The panel was moderated by UfM Project Manager Anna Dorangricchia and the panelists included:

• Shada El Sharif, founder of SustainMENA,
• Sarine Karajerjian from the Arab Reform Initiative (ARI)
• Gordana Rokvić from the University of Banja Luka
• Guadaluna Chaer, co-founder of LUXEED Robotics,
• Rajae Chafil, Director of the Climate Change Competence Center of Morocco

Themes that arose during the conversations included the need for “green skills” although many women and girls lack access to education and training.  There was also a lot of talk about the need for better agricultural supports and financial services, green job opportunities, and innovative and climate-smart technologies and practices.  Moreover, there are significant gaps in gender equality in political circles and natural resource management which means women have less opportunity to shape policy that impact their lives. The webinar showcased one young entrepreneur and showed the challenges that they face but also their desire to succeed and amplify other voices through upskilling and reskilling women in green job sectors. If the green transition of Mediterranean food systems takes place without a special effort to include women and girls, it bears the risk of exacerbating existing gender gaps, thus creating further marginalization and inequality.

Across the Mediterranean, many women and girls still face considerable challenges in accessing specialized and mostly male-dominated education and training (e.g. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, as well as agriculture-related subjects), agricultural support and financial services, green job opportunities, and innovative and climate-smart technologies and practices. The lively webinar included a host of question and answers from the audience and CIHEAM young researchers.  

For a recording of the event, please click here.