UNGA Declares 2026 as International Year of the Woman Farmer.

In a landmark resolution adopted on May 2, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) officially declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF) through Resolution A/RES/78/279. Proposed by the United States and co-sponsored by 123 UN Member States, this declaration recognizes the vital yet historically under-acknowledged role of women in agriculture and aims to address gender disparities in rural livelihoods.

      - The International Year of the Woman Farmer will highlight the significant contribution of women in agriculture, especially in developing countries where they are responsible for 60–80% of food production and represent around 39% of the global agricultural workforce.

      - Despite their contribution, women own less than 15% of agricultural land globally, face limited access to credit, markets, mechanization, and often lack legal rights or social protection in rural areas.

      - The UNGA resolution mandates that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), along with Rome-based agencies like IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) and WFP (World Food Programme), coordinate global efforts during IYWF 2026 to address gender inequalities in land ownership, financial inclusion, climate adaptation, and decision-making power. The year will also amplify women’s voices in agriculture, promote capacity-building, and advocate for gender-transformative policies in the food system.

Main Point :-   (i) The declaration strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). It calls for inclusive agricultural transformation, with governments, civil society, and the private sector urged to promote gender-responsive policies, ensure equal access to training, irrigation, and technology, and invest in women-led agribusiness models.

      (ii) The initiative marks a crucial moment in global agricultural reform, acknowledging that empowering women farmers not only supports equity but also improves yields, food security, and nutrition at scale. FAO studies suggest that closing the gender gap in agriculture could increase production in developing countries by up to 4%, potentially reducing the number of undernourished people by 100–150 million globally.

(iii) With 2026 now officially designated as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, the UN invites all Member States, organizations, universities, cooperatives, and women-led rural movements to participate actively in promoting gender-just agricultural development, thereby laying the foundation for more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems.
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