New Delhi, March 15: The Global Conference on Women in Agriculture and Food Systems (GCWAS-2026) concluded in New Delhi on Saturday. The event emphasized the need to strengthen women’s leadership, participation, and innovation in agriculture and food systems. This closing session marked the end of a three-day global dialogue aimed at promoting gender-sensitive policies, inclusive innovations, and sustainable agricultural development.
Dr. M.L. Jat, Secretary of DRE and Director General of ICAR, was the chief guest at the session. Other notable attendees included Dr. R.S. Paroda, President of TAAS; Dr. Renu Swarup, former Secretary of the Biotechnology Department of the Government of India; Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, President of PPV and FRA; and Dr. Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension) of ICAR.
Dr. Jat emphasized that the conference should not be seen as an end to discussions but as a new beginning for advancing gender-sensitive agricultural and food systems. He called for strengthening social science research in agricultural value chains to support evidence-based policy-making and address persistent gender inequalities. He noted that ICAR is developing a national gender platform that will connect over 900 institutions, including agricultural universities and centers, to enhance research and capacity-building initiatives focused on women in agriculture. Empowering women with knowledge, data, and decision-making roles can significantly boost agricultural productivity, profitability, and sustainability, he added.
Dr. Renu Swarup summarized the key recommendations of the conference and announced the adoption of the Delhi Declaration, which calls for establishing a global alliance for women in agricultural and food systems. This declaration commits stakeholders to promote gender-sensitive policies and institutional reforms in agricultural value chains. It also aims to ensure women’s access to land, finance, technology, markets, and digital innovations, as well as to foster leadership and entrepreneurship among women farmers and agricultural business leaders.
Dr. R.S. Paroda stressed the need for concrete institutional support and decisive action that prioritizes women farmers at the center of agricultural transformation. He highlighted that women’s contribution to agricultural labor ranges from 60% to 70%. Ensuring women’s access to knowledge, markets, credit, and training is essential for achieving food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable agricultural systems.
Dr. T. Mohapatra pointed out that many women play a crucial role in conserving plant genetic resources and biodiversity. Despite their invaluable contributions to sustainable agriculture, they often remain overlooked. He called for robust institutional and financial support to identify and empower these grassroots conservators, whose efforts are vital for preserving traditional knowledge and biodiversity.
Earlier, Dr. Rajbir Singh, in his welcome address, emphasized that empowering women farmers is not just a matter of equality but a strategic necessity for ensuring sustainable agricultural development, food security, and rural prosperity. He noted the critical role of women in agricultural value chains and stressed the need for their leadership in building resilient and sustainable food systems. He added that the discussions and recommendations from the conference would help shape future policies, research priorities, and collaborative initiatives to enhance women’s participation and leadership in agricultural and food systems at both national and global levels.
The technical sessions of the conference featured nine key areas focused on women’s empowerment in agricultural and food systems. Topics included engaging global women leaders, accelerating progress, achieving new heights, mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion, emerging and disruptive technologies for gender transformation, building women’s leadership in the agriculture-food sector, empowering women through economic inclusion, gender dynamics in policy and market access, breaking stereotypes with women farmer platforms, and nurturing future leaders in the agriculture-food sector.
GCWAS-2026 saw participation from numerous esteemed international experts and leaders representing global research and development organizations. Notable figures included Dr. Bram Govaerts, Director General of CIMMYT; Agnes Kalibata, Founder and Chair of the Connect4Impact Advisory Group; Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, World Food Prize laureate from WorldFish; Julie Borlaug, President of the Borlaug Foundation; Maureen Miruka, Director of Gender Equality, Youth, and Social Inclusion at CIMMYT; Josephine Okot, Vice President of IDFC and Managing Director of Victoria Seeds Limited; and Nitya Rao, Professor of Gender and Development at the University of East Anglia, among others.
The conference concluded with a commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation that supports women in agriculture, paving the way for a more equitable and sustainable future in food systems.
My name is Narendra Jijhontiya. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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