Q&A: Understanding the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF) and CGIAR’s Role

1. Happy New Year 2026 Nicoline. To start us off, what is the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF), and why does it matter?

Nicoline de Haan:

A happy 2026 to you and to colleagues and partners reading this piece. 

In 2026, as part of the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF), I am excited to celebrate the essential role that women play in agriculture and do everything we can to support their achievements. With the United Nations designating 2026 as the IYWF and the FAO leading the way, IYWF is about shining a light on the contributions of women across agrifood systems—whether it's as farmers, innovators, or traders. Through the GENDER Accelerator, we work with partners to develop innovations and solutions that drive real change and advance gender equality, both within CGIAR and with our partners. If you're curious about what we’ve been working on, check out our research at the Accelerator’s resource hub.

In other words, IYWF matters for me because it creates a global platform to move beyond recognition towards action that is grounded in evidence, leading to investable solutions, and policy change. For CGIAR, this is a moment to ensure that science and innovation meaningfully contribute to transforming the realities faced by women farmers.

2. Who is coordinating the IYWF, and how is it being coordinated globally?

Nicoline de Haan:

Coordination of the IYWF is led by FAO, through a steering committee, of which we are honored to be member of. FAO leads the global coordination of IYWF on behalf of the UN system, working closely with governments, research institutions, civil society, the private sector, and farmer organizations. Research and academic institutions are explicitly identified as key contributors—and this is where CGIAR plays a distinctive role. For us it is important to provide the evidence base and data behind the conversation on how we put gender equality at the center of agrifood transformation. For instance, CGIAR developed seven working papers that served as background papers and informed the FAO 2023 Status of Women in Agrifood Systems (SWAFS). 

With its mandate on research for development, CGIAR continues to uniquely be positioned to serve as the science, evidence, and innovation pillar of the IYWF, amplifying research-backed, scalable solutions for women in agrifood systems. This is a role we have been playing and will continue to play in providing evidence to policy makers, innovation to partners, and new tools to harness the economic, environmental and nutritional power of agriculture. 

3. Will CGIAR be involved in IYWF— and what unique role can it play?

Nicoline de Haan:

Absolutely. CGIAR will be deeply involved, through a coordinated, year-long engagement led by the Gender Equality and Inclusion Accelerator. 

Our IYWF strategy positions CGIAR as the global research-for-development partner for women in agrifood systems. This includes:

• Starting from a point of agency, understanding the role women play in agrifood systems and amplifying their voice
• Generating and synthesizing evidence on what works for women farmers, including engaging men and boys as agents of change
• Showcasing investable, gender-responsive innovations emerging from CGIAR science programs and centers
• Engaging in science–policy dialogue at local, regional and global levels to enhance the voice of women
• Amplifying stories of women farmers, scientists, and change agents through both CGIAR as well as FAO and other partner networks. 

4. During the Global CGIAR Gender in Agrifood Systems Conference in 2025, you had a session on IYWF. Why was that important?

Nicoline de Haan:

That session was a deliberate early signal. During the recent Global CGIAR Gender in Agrifood Systems Conference, under the theme “Accelerating Equality in Food, Land and Water Systems: Driving solutions through Evidence and Learning” we brought together researchers, partners, and practitioners to discuss what IYWF should stand for, and what it must deliver. We collaborated with FAO in framing this session and global discussion under the theme: setting the stage for 2026 through policy, investment and innovation. A summary of this discussion is available on our website. 

It allowed us to:

• Test and refine CGIAR’s proposed contribution
• Start mobilizing partners, within and beyond the CGIAR to contribute to the year
• Importantly, it reinforced a shared message: IYWF must be about solutions, investment, and transformation—not just celebration.

5. What will CGIAR focus on during IYWF 2026?

Nicoline de Haan:

CGIAR’s engagement is structured around a clear theme:

“Empowered women. Investable innovations. Transforming agrifood systems.”

This translates into three core areas of work:

First, we will share investable innovations. We will spotlight scalable technologies, services, and approaches, co-designed with women, that are ready for investment and uptake. 

Second, we continue working on evidence generation. We will continue to synthesize existing and new research on solutions that improve outcomes for women in agrifood systems

Third, science–policy engagement and storytelling. Here, we will connect evidence to policy processes, while elevating the voices and experiences of women farmers, youth (especially young girls) across regions

6. How can CGIAR staff, Centers, and partners plug into IYWF?

Nicoline de Haan:

There are multiple entry points, and all are invited to engage.  

You can engage by:

• Making a new year’s resolution to do something for women in agrifood systems in 2026 and proceed to follow through on it.
• Mark the upcoming International Women’s Day (8 March) by hosting a conversation, event or moment of reflection in your organization.
• Share stories of the women farmers you work with and join collective storytelling efforts that help these voices reach wider audiences.
• Look out for our upcoming photo competition and consider joining in. We want to celebrate the many ways women are feeding the world, from farms and markets to laboratories, while also recognizing the roles men play alongside them.
• Tell us about promising ideas or approaches from your work that are making a real difference for gender equality, so we can help share them more broadly.
• Share data, stories, or insights from your projects that could help shape outreach materials.
• Take advantage of key moments such as the International Women’s Day and International Day of Rural Women, Africa Food Systems Summit, the Climate CoPs, to keep gender equality visible and on the agenda. 

For CGIAR colleagues, be on the lookout for internal coordination calls to amplify IYWF through our combined efforts across Centers, Science Programs and Accelerators, and communications teams.

7. Why should IYWF matter to researchers and practitioners across CGIAR—not just those working on gender?

Nicoline de Haan:

Because gender equality is not a standalone issue, it is foundational to achieving food security, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.

IYWF offers a rare opportunity to:

• Position your research and how it benefits all of society at the center of a global agenda
• Demonstrate the real-world value and uptake of your research
• Mobilize new partnerships and funding for women-focused solutions

This is about showing how good science, when designed inclusively, delivers better outcomes for everyone.

8. Looking beyond 2026, what legacy does CGIAR hope to leave?

Nicoline de Haan:

The IWFY – and thus the year itself is a catalyst, not an endpoint. CGIAR’s ambition is to leave behind a lasting legacy, stronger evidence, stronger partnerships, and sustained investment in women-led and women-responsive innovations.

Closing

IYWF is a moment to act, not just to acknowledge. Through coordinated science, innovation, and policy engagement, CGIAR is committed to ensuring that women farmers are not only visible, but central to transforming agrifood systems worldwide, of course acknowledging the role also played by men and boys as allies.