Gender Equality, Youth, and Social Inclusion

Recommendations
for Decision-Makers

• Recognize that all food systems are not equal for women, young people, and other marginalized communities when developing policies and action plans for sustainable development in food systems. These inequalities are deep-rooted and widespread and could increase due to geopolitical and environmental challenges. These groups represent a huge proportion of the population, so addressing their inclusion can bring substantial positive change for communities.
• Ensure that the necessary enabling factors and systems (such as access to land ownership and bank accounts) are identified and put in place for equitable access to resources so that women are as likely as men to adopt new technologies and innovations (FAO 2023). It is estimated that if women farmers had the same access to productive resources as men, their yields could increase by 20-30% (FAO 2011).
• Do not forget the young people. Investments in food systems and capacity-building programs that help young people unlock their potential can deliver a ‘youth dividend’, although young men and women face different barriers that require targeted action to overcome—it is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.
• Use digital tools and information and communication platforms to create substantial opportunities to advance social inclusion. Provided the gap in access is closed, these tools can improve and expand access to financial services, education, and agricultural information for marginalized and remote communities, ensuring equitable participation. They also equip decision-makers with the data needed to design and monitor inclusive policies that address diverse population needs.
• Decision-makers must prioritize collecting disaggregated data to make better food system decisions and ensure no one is left behind. Often data about marginalized groups are sparse, especially at the national level.

We need a revolution to correct the injustices of the past. The light bulb was not created through incremental improvements to the candle. We need to fundamentally change how we work to remove gender equalities at scale and in a systematic way.”

What Food Systems Science Tells Us

To create food systems that are inclusive and resilient, leaders at all levels need to drive changes that empower women, young people, and other socially excluded groups. This requires tackling the social and political barriers that prevent these groups from fully participating.

In low- and middle-income countries, women make up around 43% of the agricultural labor force. In sub-Saharan Africa, this figure rises to 66%, and in southern Asia, it reaches 71% (FAO 2023). Women are a significant yet underserved part of the population, representing a powerful opportunity to drive meaningful change. Science plays a critical role in this process by not just identifying what works, what doesn’t, and why, but by making the problem and why it needs to be addressed visible.

Past efforts have taught us important lessons but also revealed shortcomings, highlighting the need for more comprehensive research and data, especially at the national level, to monitor progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and inform policies, research, and advocacy. A recent study showed that half of all projects on statistics and data supported by official development assistance devote no or negligible funds to gender-related activities (Gender Data Outlook Index 2024).

Foresight studies that assess the potential impact of interventions and investments can help decision-makers make informed choices. However, these studies have yet to fully explore gender equality and social inclusion as both goals and drivers of food system change. These dimensions must be central to future research and actions to help us understand why progress remains slow despite a vast body of research on social inclusion in food systems, particularly for women. UN Women estimates that at the current rate of change, ending extreme poverty among women could take 137 more years.

One major reason for this gap is that many interventions fail to address systemic barriers and complex gender and social norms that vary across contexts. This can lead to unintended consequences. For example, when crops traditionally grown by women for household use become profitable through increased investment, men may take over their cultivation and sale. This risk can be reduced through protections like training, access to credit, and technological support. Research in aquaculture value chains shows that empowering women requires different approaches in China than in India—gender challenges are not uniform.

There is growing recognition that transformative approaches deliver the greatest, most inclusive, and sustainable benefits to households and communities by engaging men and women together to examine how gender dynamics and relations influence opportunities and the well-being of individuals, households, and communities. An example of this approach is the Research/Benefit/Empower/Transform Continuum (Figure 14).

Involving women directly in decision-making, such as through inclusive breeding programs, can improve their adoption of new agricultural technologies, such as seed varieties or livestock breeds. These programs demonstrate that innovations need to be marketable, affordable, and compatible with local needs and practices. For example, nutrient-rich crops designed to combat malnutrition will only succeed if they grow well, appeal to local communities, are easy to prepare, fit within local diets, and if social-cultural norms around them are addressed. When women (and men) contribute to shaping these innovations, adoption rates increase, and rejection is less likely.

Efforts to support greater social inclusion for specific groups, such as youth and Indigenous Peoples, are proving to be effective pathways toward sustainable development. For example, strengthening indigenous food systems by integrating traditional knowledge with modern technologies can boost food production and increase climate resilience.

Young people today face a rapidly changing world with shifts in food systems affecting their health, job prospects, and environment. Science can help us better understand their unique needs, expectations, and aspirations to create strategies to improve their futures. Investments in food systems and capacity-building programs can help young people unlock their potential can deliver a “youth dividend.” However, men and women face different barriers that require targeted action to overcome—it is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. In regions like Africa and Asia with large youthful populations, this can be an effective way to drive economic growth and competitiveness.

While much remains on the research and development ‘to-do’ list, one thing is clear: achieving gender equity, youth empowerment, and social inclusion requires systemic change. Change must be tailored to specific contexts and underpinned by effective policies. Researchers, including those at CGIAR, play a crucial role by providing insights into current challenges and identifying the most strategic points for action.

Looking Ahead

Gender inequalities remain widespread in food systems and are worsened by crises such as COVID-19, climate change, and conflicts. Women and girls often face the greatest challenges, including food and nutrition insecurity, increased workloads, and a higher risk of gender-based violence. While the gender gap in food insecurity slightly improved in 2022, women and girls remain highly vulnerable, particularly in regions heavily affected by climate change. Despite growing recognition of gender equality in global and national policy processes, implementation often lags.

Deep-rooted and widespread multidimensional inequalities, which affect women more than men, could increase and become even more entrenched because of the slow and uneven pandemic recovery, climate change, increased levels of conflict, rising food prices, and other global trends (Menon, 2023; Martin-Brehm et al., 2023; World Bank, 2023a).

Conflict and climate disasters have displaced 177 million people, most of whom are women and children. These displaced populations face severe threats to their food and nutrition security and their livelihoods. Both displaced people and their host communities need stronger representation in local and regional decision-making processes to ensure their needs are met sustainably and equitably (WEF 2024).

Technology, such as digital tools and information and communication platforms, offers substantial opportunities to advance social inclusion. These tools can improve and expand access to financial services, education, and agricultural information for marginalized and remote communities. They also equip decision-makers with the data needed to design and monitor inclusive policies that address diverse population needs. While significant gender inequity remains when it comes to access to digital tools, there are some encouraging signs of progress following specific efforts by some countries to close these gaps.

Sub-Saharan Africa’s rapidly growing youth population—expected to reach 20% of the global total by 2030 (UN DESA 2020)—provides a rich opportunity for agrifood interventions focused on youth employment, education, and training.

Future work must continue reducing inequities and creating opportunities for women, girls, men, and boys, all in agrifood systems. This requires collective commitment from policymakers and stakeholders on gender equality and youth engagement to build upon their power as agents of change. This includes amplifying women’s voices in decision-making, strengthening their participation in agricultural production, and investing in solutions designed by and for women. Innovative, co-developed solutions, particularly in the digital and financial sectors, must address challenges faced by women and youth and enhance participation and leadership at all levels, supported by gender-transformative approaches that shift restrictive norms.

It is also important to build future work on the lessons learned from existing research, and through the collection of disaggregated data (data broken down into smaller units, such as by age, race, and gender) to drive informed, inclusive decision-making. This helps make the invisible become visible and is key to informing better decisions and ensuring no one is left behind.