A global campaign is drawing attention to women’s work in farming and related food activities. In simple terms, agrifood systems are the connected activities that produce, process, sell and distribute food. Women make up about 41 percent of this workforce worldwide. They work as farmers, fishers, traders and processors, but much of their contribution remains undervalued. This matters because women support household nutrition, rural livelihoods and food security.
Women still face barriers such as weak land rights, limited credit and restricted access to technology. Social rules can also reduce their voice in decisions and add unpaid care work. Climate change brings extra pressure through heat, drought and irregular rain. FAO says coordinated policies, better data and targeted investment can empower women and build resilience. Closing these gaps could reduce hunger, improve resilience and raise global GDP by $1 trillion.