International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026

Deep dive into:
Women farmers & equal access

Equal access remains a defining challenge for women farmers. Inequalities in access to land, finance, resources and innovation continue to limit their roles and opportunities in agriculture, with less than 20% of the world’s landholders being women. Persistent stereotypes and limited visibility in data further obscure their contributions and impact.​​

At the same time, domestic responsibilities, including caregiving, household work and childcare responsibilities, place additional constraints on women, limiting their time, mobility and access to resources, and reinforcing existing inequalities.​​

Yet the potential is clear: when women farmers have equal access to productive resources, yields could increase by 20–30%, agricultural output by 2.5 - 4%, and up to 150 million people could be lifted out of hunger, underscoring why women’s empowerment is central to economic and social change.​

Deep dive into:
Women farmers & climate change

Women farmers are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change, largely due to the same barriers that limit their access to land, resources, services and decision-making, and reduce their productivity.​

According to the FAO report Unjust Climate, female-headed households in developing economies face greater economic losses from extreme weather, losing on average 8% more income from heat stress and 3% more from flooding than male-headed households.​

As climate risks intensify, these inequalities threaten livelihoods and food security, with climate change projected to push an additional 158 million women and girls into extreme poverty by 2050.​

At the same time, evidence shows that growth in small-scale agriculture is two to four times more effective at reducing hunger and poverty than growth in other sectors, with women farmers playing a central role in strengthening resilience and supporting sustainable food production.​

Addressing gender inequalities in agriculture and strengthening the role of women farmers will therefore be essential to improving climate resilience and ensuring sustainable and inclusive food systems.

Deep dive into:
Women farmers & productivity

Inclusive agriculture is essential for resilience, productivity and food security. Women farmers are responsible for around half of the world’s food production, rising to 60 - 80% in developing countries, and play a critical role in household nutrition, community stability and global food safety.

Yet significant productivity gaps persist. Women farmers produce 20 - 30% less than men due to two overlapping forms of exclusion – as both smallholder farmers and as women. Limited access to land, finance, technology and extension services continues to restrict their potential, while social norms often prevent women from cultivating more profitable crops. These structural barriers not only limit opportunities for women farmers but also affect the productivity, innovation and resilience of communities and food systems.

Empowering women farmers and addressing these challenges is therefore fundamental to boosting productivity and strengthening food systems. By enabling women to access the resources, knowledge and opportunities they need, agriculture can become more efficient, inclusive and resilient, helping to reduce hunger and strengthen sustainability.

Deep dive into:
Women farmers & gender gap

Gender gaps continue to shape the realities of women farmers across agrifood systems. Despite being responsible for around 50% of global food production, women farmers own less than 20% of agricultural land globally,​ reflecting persistent inequalities in access to land and economic resources. ​​

These gaps have broader economic consequences: closing gender gaps, including wage disparities, could contribute up to USD 1 trillion to the global economy and increase global GDP by around 1%. ​​

Addressing gender inequality in agriculture is therefore not only a matter of equity, but also essential for food security, economic growth and sustainable development.​

Women Farmers of the World

Women farmers play a central role in sustaining agrifood systems around the world, accounting for around 37% of all farmers globally and managing approximately 15% of small farms worldwide. ​​

They contribute across agricultural production systems as farmers and producers, smallholders and family farmers, seasonal farm workers and rural entrepreneurs. ​​

Their contributions extend beyond production to leadership and community roles that support food security, livelihoods and nutrition for families and rural communities.​

However, women spend an average of 4.2 hours a day on unpaid work and carry out over 75% of all unpaid care work globally, with this share rising even higher in certain countries.