United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has announced new commitments to strengthen women’s leadership and economic empowerment in Africa’s agrifood systems ahead of the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026.
Speaking at a high-level meeting on the sidelines of the 39th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, ECA said it would work with the AU, UN Women and the African Women Leaders Network to translate women farmers’ contributions into real economic power, income and influence.
The Commission noted that although women make up a large share of Africa’s agrifood workforce, they continue to face barriers to land, finance, technology and markets, limiting productivity and earnings. It stressed that closing these gaps is both a rights issue and an economic necessity to boost output, resilience and inclusive growth.
ECA said it would prioritise strengthening women’s land rights, expanding access to finance and markets for women-led agribusinesses, and embedding gender-disaggregated data into national development and agricultural strategies to ensure accountability. The Commission signalled its intention to turn high-level commitments into practical, country-level action that positions women farmers at the centre of Africa’s food systems transformation.
–ChannelAfrica/ECA–
