Islamabad, 14 March 2023 (TDI): The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) marked International Women’s Day 2023 by emphasizing the importance of women in agriculture having access to digital technologies.
The event brought together stakeholders to talk about how digital technology might speed up progress toward gender equality.
FAO has conducted various digital literacy training & provided tablets to men and women farmers in Balochistan as part of its project interventions.
Hence, allowing them to stay better informed about markets to sell their goods, market prices, and quantity demanded in the market.
“DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,” this year’s International Women’s Day theme, highlighted the potential of technology and innovation to level the playing field & break down gender-based obstacles that limit women’s access to resources and technology in agriculture.
During a panel discussion hosted by the International Water Management Institute in Islamabad, Florence Rolle, FAO Representative in Pakistan, stressed the critical role of access to digital technology and tools for women and girls in agriculture.
Rolle proposed that smallholder women farmers use cell phones and other digital platforms to get the information they need to cultivate their crops more effectively.
She also mentioned that the number of females enrolling in agricultural universities is growing, which bodes well for the future of women in the sector and in positions of leadership.
Her statements overall emphasized the significance of empowering women and girls in agriculture by giving them the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly difficult environment.
At an international conference on “Biodiversity of Arid Zones,” FAO also held a panel discussion on the role of women in agriculture. The programme was held at Sindh Agriculture University’s (SAU) Umer Kot sub-campus.
Women farmers from FAO project areas discussed their experiences and perspectives on how FAO’s initiatives, such as Women Farm Field Schools, are empowering women at the household and community levels.
Robina Wahaj, FAO Senior Water and Land Officer spoke on Planet 87.6, a Radio Pakistan FM channel, about the relevance of digital agriculture in empowering women in agriculture.
The significance of promoting gender equality in agriculture for sustainable development was emphasized.
Moreover, FAO’s project interventions were lauded for assisting women in learning new, innovative, and climate-smart agriculture practices while also providing them with a platform to express their ideas.
The event recognized advances in empowering women and girls in agriculture while also underlining the importance of continuing to fight for gender equality in the sector.
