FAO was invited to present at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) NAT Section debate on gender equality, focusing on the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF 2026) – Empowered Women for Sustainable and Fairer Agrifood Systems.
During the debate, Erdgin Mane, Policy Officer in Social Statistics & Gender, at FAO’s Rural Transformation and Gender Equality (ESP) division, delivered a virtual presentation highlighting the key role of women farmers in agrifood systems, the persistent challenges they face, and FAO’s coordination role for the International Year.
Mane emphasized that empowering women in agriculture is not only a matter of fairness but also a key driver of development and food security. He noted that closing gaps in productivity and wages, together with targeted investments in access to land, credit, education, and technology, could raise global GDP by USD 1 trillion, reduce food insecurity for 45 million people, and strengthen resilience for millions more.
He also highlighted FAO’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the evidence base for policymaking through the development of a new gender domain under FAOSTAT, which will provide high-quality, gender-disaggregated data on women’s participation in agrifood systems and support more informed, targeted interventions.
These messages were echoed and complemented by other speakers during the debate. Cheryl Poole, winner of COPA-COGECA’s 8th Innovation Award for Women Farmers, shared her experience in pioneering water stewardship practices on a dairy farm, illustrating how innovation led by women can enhance sustainability and productivity in agriculture. Marion Picot, Secretary-General of CEJA, stressed the importance of supporting young and women farmers to secure the future of Europe’s rural communities, highlighting generational renewal as a critical factor for a resilient agricultural sector. Maria Walsh, Member of the European Parliament, underscored the need for policy coherence and sustained investment to close gender gaps and ensure that women have equal opportunities to lead across agrifood systems.
The gender debate was followed by a second discussion focusing on youth in agrifood systems, during which FAO presented its recent flagship youth report, the Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems.
The Report’s Lead Author, Marwan Benali, from FAO’s Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP), introduced the report that examines demographic trends and identifies “opportunity spaces” for youth in both rural and urban contexts, highlighting where agrifood systems can generate decent jobs, improve food security and nutrition, and strengthen resilience.
Kazuki Kitaoka, Director of FAO’s Office of Youth and Women, who attended the event in person, underscored the Organization’s commitment to advancing youth engagement within EU institutions. He highlighted FAO’s current youth engagement mechanisms and engaged directly with EESC members on the importance of creating enabling conditions for young people to enter and thrive in agriculture.
EESC Member Arnold Puech d’Alissac also presented draft recommendations on generational renewal, stressing the need for coherent support measures for young farmers.
At the close of the discussions, the Chair of the NAT Section expressed gratitude for FAO’s substantial contribution to both debates and commended the excellent collaboration with the FAO Liaison Office in Brussels, noting the value of FAO’s continued engagement in supporting evidence-based policymaking for gender equality and youth inclusion in agrifood systems.
