On Tuesday, February 28, 2012, the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) was launched at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
The WEAI is the first-ever measure to directly capture women’s empowerment and inclusion levels in the agricultural sector. Women play a critical role in agricultural growth in developing countries, yet they face persistent obstacles and economic constraints, limiting further inclusion in the sector.
The WEAI is a partnership between the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future intiative, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) of Oxford University. The index will be used for performance monitoring and impact evaluations of Feed the Future programs around the world. It has been piloted in regions of threecountries so far – Bangladesh, Guatemala and Uganda.
Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index Resources
In Uganda, farmers with crops to sell are testing out Kudu, a digital food trading platform that acts as a virtual match-maker for farmers looking to sell their crops to major produce buyers. 400 tons of food has already been sold through Kudu, and the platform shows promise in helping address inefficiencies in local food markets.
Read MoreFor more than 20 years, farmer-owned Kibinge Coffee Farmers’ Co-operative Society has improved the livelihoods of many community members. Now, with the support of Peace Corps Volunteers, it’s working to bring young people into the fold, so they too, have the opportunity to succeed in agribusiness.
Read MoreAs worldwide demand for shrimp grows worldwide, an innovative partnership in Bangladesh is leading the way in shrimp breeding technology, making it possible for the country’s smallholder shrimp farmers to make a better living.
Read More“Professionally, the Cochran Fellowship has opened a new beginning for me, my co-operative and my country,” says Emmanual Swai, a Cochran alumnus from Tanzania. “We will utilize what we gained for the benefit of our people and the dairy industry as a whole.”
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