On the International Day of Women and Girls in Science we celebrate indigenous women and their knowledge, and we would like to highlight some indigenous women scientists and their achievements.

She had started her business with USD 68 of savings, but less than two months later, the young entrepreneur raked in a hefty profit.

Patricia started farming to help cover her family’s expenses because her teaching salary was not sufficient.

Living in a conflict zone, Fiya has struggled to access the agricultural materials she needs to make a living and provide food for her family. An FAO project is helping her, and many others, continue providing for themselves in spite of the conflict.

Since 2015, FAO participated in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaigns in Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, and Turkey.

After losing his crops to a cyclone, João Guerra now has to adapt his livelihood to survive a pandemic too.

Today, Istaahil is very much a businesswoman, using around 80 percent of the fruits and vegetables grown in the garden to supply food for the restaurant.

Being granted land was one of the main achievements of the project. However, for Cecilia, one that was even more important was the change of mindset within her community.

For Madino, and the other 20,700 families assisted during the last Deyr season, Cash+ support was a chance to exit hunger.

Karima’s saffron business is booming, with a little help from a FAO project.

In Egypt, the assessment started in Al-Minya governorate where four male farmers and eight female farmers were interviewed, providing information about their daily lives, gender roles, and dynamics, to inform FAO’s future interventions.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent restriction measures, including closed borders and weakened trade, have compounded the impact of the severe economic crisis that Lebanon has been enduring since late 2019.

Through partnerships with rural youth organizations, FAO has worked with young agricultural workers and entrepreneurs to understand their needs and mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic.

Besides supporting the diets of the social residential institution, the agricultural intervention yielded unexpected recreational results during the pandemic restrictions.

The vegetable group allows them to make an income safely and with the support of other women. Agok and her fellow women feel strongly about the amount of support the group provides.

This project allows families to generate income to cover their basic needs and helps prevent malnutrition, as eggs are rich in nutrients and protein.

Fartun recognises that enrolling in this project has made a “big change” in her life, allowing her to generate an income and support her family.

Empowering women by helping them become full and active members of FFPOs at all levels can help them be equal actors in transforming rural landscapes and economies.

“Without food, there is no health and without women, there is no food,” said Jessie Thomson of CARE Canada as she summarized key takeaway messages from the speakers.

Before coming into contact with the project, Fatemeh, Abolghasem – like many of their neighbours – could hardly see beyond making ends meet.