Women are at the centre of our agrifood systems, playing a fundamental role in agriculture and off-farm segments. Yet they face a wide array of gaps and barriers, structural inequalities and discriminatory social norms that hold them back, reduce their potential and relegate them to some of the most vulnerable positions in the sector. Gender inequalities also make women particularly prone to suffer from shocks and crises.
If women were to contribute and be compensated on an equal scale with their male counterparts, the benefits would be felt not only by their households and communities but on a global scale – boosting economies, reducing hunger, increasing dietary diversity and strengthening resilience.
Commit to Grow Equality is the first multi-stakeholder initiative that shifts the spotlight directly onto the role of women in agrifood systems. It calls for partners to make gender equality and women's empowerment the key objective of agrifood system interventions.
Highlights
CGE PARTNER IN FOCUS
More than just playtime: how the right childcare support can contribute to more sustainable supply chains
olam food ingredients (ofi), a global leader in food and beverage ingredients, joined CGE in 2024 as the initiative’s first private sector partner. Here, ofi shares examples of interventions implemented by the company to help empower women and safeguard children in its communities.
EVENT
CGE joins Hand-in-Hand Initiative to present the business case for investing in youth and women
The thematic session during the Investment Forum 2025 served as a strong reminder that productivity and profitability increase when investments are made with a focus on enhancing opportunities for women and youth.
PUBLICATION
CGE annual progress report 2025
This first progress report, published in March 2025, presents an overview of the initiative and highlights commitments made by CGE partners to advance gender equality and women's empowerment in agrifood systems. Within six different thematic areas, the report showcases partner-led efforts to drive meaningful change in agrifood systems under the umbrella of the CGE initiative.
NEWS
FAO leads new initiative and reinforces its commitment to accelerate gender equality efforts in agrifood systems
NEW YORK – Correcting the gender gap in agrifood systems would dramatically reduce the worldwide hunger rate, raise the incomes of hundreds of millions of people and add $1 trillion to global gross domestic product, offering one of the most effective pathways towards the common objectives of the SDGs.
Videos
Video
Tackling the gender gap is crucial to fight food insecurity and the climate crisis
06/03/2024
The groundbreaking FAO report “The Unjust Climate: Measuring the impacts of climate change on the rural poor, women and youth” shows that climate change...
Video
The status of women in agrifood systems
06/04/2023
Tackling gender inequalities in agrifood systems and empowering women reduces hunger, boosts the economy, and reinforces resilience to shocks like climate...
Supported by
Resources
Commit to Grow Equality: Commitments Matrix
11/03/2024
This Commitments Matrix presents macro commitments and a series of thematic commitments, divided into five sub-categories and targeting three different...
The status of women in agrifood systems
13/04/2023
The status of women in agrifood systems report uses extensive new data and analyses to provide a comprehensive picture of women’s participation, benefits,...
External Links
- FAO | Gender
- CFS voluntary guidelines on gender equality and women's and girls' empowerment
- FAO at the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69)
- International Year of the Woman Farmer