Report of the Meeting of the Network of Women Ministers and Leaders in Agriculture, Rome, 15 November 2009
Background
At this crucial time of institutional reform and resource allocation, the agriculture sector must afford women producers recognition and value as primary food producers and environmental managers. Transforming agriculture institutions, structures and programmes to focus on women producers requires collective action among strong and influential women leaders who listen to the voices of women most affected by the food and climate change crises. Organizations of women producers, supporting partners, and professional women are all needed to allow these collective efforts to be realized.
The Network of Women Ministers and Leaders in Agriculture is an example of such collective action. Facilitated by WOCAN with support from IFAD and Heifer International, the launch of this Network during the Commission for Sustainable Development in 2008 was attended by women ministers and their staff from several countries, as well as women leaders from farmers' organizations and other civil society and international organizations. The Ministers of Agriculture of the Netherlands and South Africa played active roles to promote the Network and the women major group platform on women farmers and rural women. The outcome document of CSD 16th and 17th Sessions already provide a good basis for a concrete plan for implementation for the Network members.
There are currently 18 women Ministers of Agriculture around the world, in Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Denmark, European Commission, Finland, Germany, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, the Netherlands, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and Uganda. These Ministers have the potential to improve the responsiveness of national and global policies to the needs of poor rural women, who make up the majority of the world's farmers in many regions. For example, Mona Brother, Senior Advisor/Ambassador, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Norway credited Norway's 'best practices' to the existence of a female Minister of Agriculture for eleven years and when CSD was chaired by a woman minister of agriculture, Minister Verburg of the Netherlands, it culminated in an unprecedented focus on women farmers as key actors in the agriculture sector.
The Network emphasizes the importance of champions for women's issues in agriculture, fisheries, forestry and livestock. In this regard, a special Brunch Event was organized prior to the World Summit on Food Security (November, 2009) held at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.
The Network's event intended to provide a space for a constructive exchange and dialogue between high level women ministers and leaders and grassroots rural women, including representatives of women's constituencies that deliberated during the CSO Forum. The outcome and key messages of this meeting were then brought to the attention of the Summit participants.
