A Women Farmers’ Cooperative on a Mission to Decrease Hunger
In Nigeria, one woman is leading her community to use sustainable farming methods, as well as technology, to thrive. A group of women farmers in Nigeria play a pivotal role…
Read MoreKeeping Promises on Food Security
Read the full post on the U.S. Department of State DipNote blog
This year marks the final year of L’Aquila Food Security Initiative donor governments’ pledge to mobilize over $22 billion toward global food security over three years, of which the United States pledged $3.5 billion. Food security is a critical priority as it is closely linked to economic growth, social progress, political stability, and peace.
In the United States, this pledge is embodied in Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative. Taking a uniquely comprehensive approach to food security by investing in entire agricultural value chains, from seeds to markets to consumers, Feed the Future is the largest investment in agricultural development the United States has made in decades.
Beyond improving farm and ranch production, Feed the Future also works with underserved agricultural workers, and prioritizes improvements in their nutrition as well as their income. Women producers are supported within Feed the Future programs through several mechanisms including innovation funds to develop technology appropriate to them, and diversification programs that improve nutrition, specifically targeting the 1,000 day window from pregnancy through a child(tm)s second birthday. Adequate nutrition during this window is critical to a healthy pregnancy, and developing a child’s lifetime cognitive and physical capacity.
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Read MoreTaking Action for Women in Agrifood Systems
Women have always worked in agrifood systems, but these systems have not always worked for women. That’s because barriers have stood in their way, preventing them from making their fullest contributions. Last year, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) “Status of Women in Agrifood Systems” report showed us just how slow progress has been in closing the gender gap in agriculture over the past decade. Their access to irrigation, livestock, land ownership and extension services has barely budged over the past decade. Also, they are facing these challenges at a time of immense global shocks.
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