By Aoma Keziah,
The “Together: Strengthening Women’s Voices for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems” Conference commenced in Nairobi, bringing together around 80 participants from various sectors with a shared commitment to promoting gender equality and empowering women in agriculture.
The conference, co-hosted by the State Department for Agriculture, GIZ, and other key partners, focused on creating pathways to ensure that women and other marginalized groups are central to shaping sustainable agricultural practices and food systems. With the ongoing global challenges posed by climate change, food security, and economic inequality, the event is being seen as a timely and crucial platform for accelerating change.
Speaking at the opening session,Eng. Laban Kiplagat, representing the Principal Secretary State Department for Agriculture, emphasized the need to amplify women’s voices in shaping equitable agri-food systems
“Women play a pivotal role in agriculture, producing much of the world’s food, preserving traditional knowledge, and sustaining rural economies. Yet, despite their contributions, they continue to face barriers in access to land, resources, markets, and decision-making spaces. This must change.” He said.
He further continued to say that the conference provides much needed space for addressing challenges that women face
“We cannot achieve sustainable agriculture without the full participation of women, who are the backbone of farming communities. This conference provides a much needed space for addressing the unique challenges women face and creating opportunities for their leadership in the agricultural sector.” Eng Kiplagat added.
Elke Siehl, Director General Sector and Global Programmes, GIZ emphasized the importance of inclusive policies.
“Gender equality in agriculture isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s an economic necessity. Ensuring women have equal access to resources, markets, and decision-making processes is key to building resilient food systems that can sustain future generations.” She explained.
Participants at the conference included experts, policymakers, agricultural practitioners, and activists with significant experience in gender equality, women’s empowerment, and sustainable agriculture, came together to exchange ideas, discuss best practices, and explore actionable solutions that can empower women in agricultural production and leadership roles across Africa and beyond.
The focus of the conference was to not only spotlight the challenges but to identify opportunities for transforming agricultural practices by integrating women’s knowledge, perspectives, and leadership. One of the key themes for discussion was how to better address barriers such as limited access to land, finance, and technology, which often hold women back in the agricultural value chain.
The discussions and sessions throughout the 3 day conference are expected to result in concrete actions and recommendations aimed at influencing national and regional policies to better support women and marginalized groups within agriculture and food systems, Key priorities including creating an enabling environment for women entrepreneurs, improving access to markets, and ensuring that women have a voice in agricultural policy making processes.
