A regional forum aimed at strengthening women’s role in agriculture and food systems has opened in Addis Ababa, bringing together policymakers, farmers, private sector leaders and development partners from across the Horn of Africa.
The two-day meeting, organised by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), seeks to enhance women’s participation and leadership in agrifood systems while promoting resilient and inclusive food production across the region.
The IGAD Women Forum on Agrifood Systems, held from March 5 to 6, 2026, is designed as a regional platform for dialogue, collaboration and investment aimed at tackling the barriers that limit women’s participation in agriculture.
Despite their vital role across agrifood value chains, women farmers often face significant challenges, including limited access to land, financing, markets and agricultural technologies.
Opening the forum, Daher Elmi, Director of Agriculture and Environment at IGAD, emphasised that empowering women is critical to transforming food systems and improving resilience across the region.
“Women are at the heart of agrifood systems, and their leadership is key to building a food-secure and resilient IGAD region,” he said, calling for greater investment and policy support to strengthen women’s participation in agricultural value chains.
Over the course of the forum, participants are exchanging ideas, showcasing innovations and exploring practical solutions to expand women’s access to finance, markets, climate information and agribusiness opportunities.
Discussions are also focusing on digital agro-climate services, climate-smart agriculture practices and the role of women in shaping agricultural policies.
The forum is organised under the Food Systems Resilience Program for Eastern and Southern Africa, implemented by IGAD with support from the World Bank.
The programme aims to strengthen food systems' resilience and improve preparedness for food insecurity in participating countries.
Participants include representatives from government ministries and parliaments of IGAD member states, women farmers’ cooperatives, gender focal points, private sector partners and development organisations working to advance agricultural development.
A major outcome expected from the meeting is the formal establishment of the IGAD Women Forum on Agrifood Systems, which will operate as a consultative platform to support regional policy implementation and investment strategies aimed at strengthening inclusive food systems.
The initiative aligns with IGAD’s Food Systems and Nutrition Security Strategy (2024) and supports the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme commitment to advancing inclusive agricultural growth.
The continental framework calls for empowering at least 30 per cent of women farmers within agrifood value chains by 2035.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development is a regional economic community comprising Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
The organisation works to promote regional cooperation, economic integration, and sustainable development while addressing shared challenges such as food insecurity, climate change and economic vulnerability.
Organisers say the forum represents an important step toward building stronger, more inclusive agrifood systems that recognise and support the central role women play in feeding communities and strengthening regional resilience.