The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today marked International Women's Day with a joint event dedicated to strengthening women farmers' access to justice, rights and opportunities.
International Women's Day, which falls on 8 March, celebrates the achievements of women while calling for accelerated action to end discrimination and inequality. This year's theme is "Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.", and falls within the global International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, throughout which the Rome-Based Agencies will work together to promote policies and investments that expand women farmers' access to justice, resources and leadership opportunities.
"Across the world, women are at the heart of our agrifood systems. Women are central to the family, and to feeding the world," said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu in a video message. "They work harder, often under more difficult conditions, and their contributions are not always fully recognized," he said. "Yet, we know that when women farmers succeed, everyone benefits. Investing in women farmers strengthens food security; it drives rural development; and it builds resilience. And it creates more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable agrifood systems."
"Evidence consistently shows that, when rural women have equal access to opportunities in agrifood systems, their productivity increases, incomes rise, and resilience strengthens. This translates into more active rural economies overall," said Gérardine Mukeshimana, Vice-President of IFAD. "Let us reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that women and girls can participate fully in economic life."
"WFP supports women leading the fight against hunger all over the world. Even in the most challenging places imaginable, women make sure food is on the table for their families and communities. Despite this, they're too often locked out of land, credit and the tools that could transform the critical role they already play. We must change this," said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. "This is about equal opportunity. This is about investing in women's leadership. Because when women lead, communities gain - and we empower families around the world to end hunger once and for all."
Held at FAO Headquarters and livestreamed globally, today's event brought together representatives from Member States, women farmers, women leaders and practitioners. Discussions highlighted persistent barriers women face across agrifood systems - including unequal access to land, finance, services, information and social protection - and emphasized the need for stronger institutional support.
The high-level panel featured interventions from Marija Milivojević, Minister Counsellor and Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden to FAO, and Tarifa Ajeif Alzaabi, Director-General of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), and focused on the policy and governance measures required to secure women's rights and expand their access to justice and essential services.
The central panel discussion included contributions from several farmers' organizations and community-led groups representing different regions: Coldiretti Fondazione Campagna Amica, a major Italian foundation promoting short supply chains and local producers; the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), one of India's largest unions representing women workers operating outside formal employment systems; the Spanish Federation of Associations of Rural Women (FADEMUR), supporting rural women's economic empowerment; the Ligue des Organisations des Femmes Paysannes du Congo (LOFEPACO), a network of women farmers' organizations from the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, represented through its Farmers Market initiative in Egypt.
Speakers highlighted practical obstacles women farmers face in securing land rights, accessing services and navigating legal or administrative processes. They also shared examples of community-based programmes and farmers' networks enabling women to strengthen their legal awareness, expand economic opportunities and lead local initiatives.
As part of the celebrations, participants visited an exhibition at the FAO Food and Agriculture Museum (FAO MuNE) showcasing stories, tools, traditional products and photographs that reflect the diversity of women's contributions to food, farming and cultural heritage. A live cooking show, led by women farmers and chefs, highlighted traditional recipes and the knowledge women transmit across generations, underscoring their role in nutrition, biodiversity and local value chains. IFAD's IYWF2026 photo exhibition in the FAO Atrium highlighted women farmers and agripreneurs generating substantive impact in IFAD-financed projects across regions.
As part of the IYWF2026, the event also featured the presentation of the new commemorative coin produced by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, Italy's State Mint. The 5-euro silver coin, which depicts the official emblem of the Year and visual elements honouring women's roles across agriculture, fisheries, livestock and forestry.
Closing the event, FAO, IFAD and WFP underscored the need for sustained, coordinated action to expand women farmers' rights, resources, and opportunities. In line with a rotational arrangement between the agencies, leadership of this annual event was then formally handed to IFAD, with the Fund set to host the 2027 edition.
As the IYWF2026 progresses, the three agencies will continue working with Members, partners and farmers' organizations to drive practical solutions that enhance women's access to justice, resources and leadership across agrifood systems.
