This month, I was on a design mission for ASAP-ACCESOS programme in Bolivia, and I got the chance to participate in a meeting of rural women that the IFAD country office organized in La Paz on March 15th, in collaboration with FAO, WFP, UNIDO, UN-WOMEN and PRAIA. The objective of the one-day event was to share, disseminate and replicate successful experiences of Bolivian women. Almost 80 participants came to present their managerial experiences that resulted in economic returns, to describe … [Read more...]
SRI LANKA: WFP eyes cash/voucher expansion
December 22, 2012 by
JAFFNA, December 2012 (IRIN) - The World Food Programme (WFP) hopes to expand its ongoing cash/voucher (C/V) programme across northern Sri Lanka, allowing thousands of recent returnees to diversify their diets. “More than 15,000 men, women and children have so far benefited from the programme in Jaffna,” Mads Lofvall, WFP acting country representative, told IRIN. “With the expansion we hope to reach more than the currently planned beneficiary caseload - 45,000 over the next two … [Read more...]
Cooperatives: Empowering women farmers, improving food security
November 16, 2012 by
Cooperatives: Empowering women farmers, improving food security Rural cooperatives and farmers’ organizations play a crucial role in the eradication of hunger and poverty. One of the ways they achieve this is through their vocation to empower small agricultural producers, and in particular women farmers. Empowering women farmers improves food security for all Women comprise on average 43% of the agricultural labour force in developing countries and produce the bulk of the world’s food … [Read more...]
Joint Programme on Rural Women with Rome-based agencies
September 28, 2012 by
Michelle Bachelet remarks at the launch of the Joint Programme on Rural Women with Rome-based agencies, “Accelerating Progress toward the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women”. New York, 27 September 2012. Good afternoon. Welcome, President Johnson-Sirleaf; our distinguished panelists and participants; and our co-hosts, the Governments of Brazil, Canada, Liberia and the Netherlands. Thank you for your partnership and strong support. It is wonderful to be here with all of you. This … [Read more...]
DAKAR – Catch 22, ‘opium’ farmers need Alternative Livelihood
July 28, 2012 by
DAKAR, July 2012 (IRIN) - Upwards of 90 percent of the opium poppies in Myanmar’s northern region are grown in Shan State, even though farmers are aware that if they grow an illicit crop, it may be eradicated and they could lose everything Alternative livelihood support is needed if growers are to be weaned off this double-edged source of income. “Farmers grow opium poppy to buy food, pay off debt and have a cash income to pay school fees and health expenses,” Gary Lewis, regional … [Read more...]
Getting to the heart of gender issues in climate change and food security research
March 25, 2012 by
Getting to the heart of gender issues in climate change and food security research http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciat/6520241221/in/set-72157621109895145 by Moushumi Chaudhury We are just beginning to understand how a changing climate can impact rural men and women quite differently in different agricultural systems across Africa and Asia. This is partly due to the differing roles and responsibilities men and women have in various cultures vis-a-vis food production, … [Read more...]
