International Women's Day 2013

Today is International Women's Day.

Here at the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) we're continually striving to take steps forward towards an integrated approach to gender in our projects. Addressing the gender disparities between women and men farmers in the developing world represents a significant development potential in itself.

An ACIAR project in Papua New Guinea is helping to increase women's business skills.
(Photo by Paul Jones)

According to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)  if women had the same access to production resources as men, they could increase yields on their fields by 20-30%. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) says that empowering women in agriculture would raise total agricultural output in developing countries by 2.5-4%, which, in turn, could reduce the number of hungry people in the world by 12-17% or 100-150 million people (State of Food and Agriculture 2012, FAO).

We have several projects aimed at empowering women. One such project is taking place in Papua New Guinea - Examining women's business acumen in Papua New Guinea: Working with women smallholders in horticulture. 

Part of the project has recently taken a group of women from Tubersoria who have used mobile banking to visit another village (Boria) and show those women how to use the mobile banking system. These women are sharing learning beyond their own village and engaging in peer-to-peer learning.

Access to production resources and marketing opportunities can significantly increase the quality of life for women farmers and their families.
(Photo by Paul Jones)

Australia's High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, His Excellency Mr Ian Kemish AM, has spoken on the project, saying it is a good example of partnerships that have the potential to develop sustainability.

He commented: "Women are key in their roles in family and community; bottom-up training is important and overall the project illustrates the way that Australia is working with PNG."

The comments reflect how ACIAR works with women in many projects in developing nations across the world. 

Author: Alexandra Bagnara (ACIAR)