IGAD Regional Women Forum on Agrifood Systems Concludes in Addis Ababa
March 5-6, 2026 (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), through its Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP) with support from the World Bank, convened the IGAD Women Forum on Agrifood Systems, bringing together policymakers, women farmers, private sector leaders, and development partners from across the region to strengthen women’s leadership and participation in agrifood systems.
The two-day Forum provided a platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and policy engagement aimed at advancing inclusive and resilient food systems across the IGAD region. Discussions focused on strengthening women’s access to finance, markets, climate information, and agribusiness opportunities across the agrifood value chain.
Across the region, women play a central role in agricultural production, food processing, and household food security. However, structural barriers continue to limit their access to resources, investment opportunities, and decision-making processes. The Forum addressed these challenges by bringing together stakeholders to identify practical solutions and policy priorities that support women farmers, entrepreneurs, and leaders in agrifood systems.
Opening the Forum, Mr. Daher Elmi, Director of Agriculture and Environment at IGAD, underscored the importance of empowering women as key drivers of food systems transformation and resilience in the region.
“Women are at the heart of agrifood systems across the IGAD region. Strengthening their access to resources, markets, and decision-making platforms is not only a matter of equality but also essential for building resilient food systems and securing the region’s food future,” he said.
Speaking at the opening session, Patricia van de Velde, Gender Lead for Agriculture and Food at the World Bank Group, highlighted the critical role of women in Africa’s rural economies.
“Across the African continent, women are the backbone of rural economies. They grow the food that feeds our nations, manage households, care for families, and sustain communities through resilience and innovation. In many African countries, women produce between 40 and 60 percent of agricultural output. And yet, despite this central role, their voices remain underrepresented in the decisions that shape agricultural policy, rural investment, and development priorities.”
The opening session also highlighted the role of women-led initiatives in advancing agricultural development across the continent. Sihi Abdallah Mshangama, SC Continental Coordinator and Focal Point in Addis Ababa for the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN), noted that women leaders are already implementing impactful initiatives through national and regional networks.
“Through our chapters, women leaders are already implementing high-impact initiatives—ranging from community agricultural programs such as One Woman, One Tree to women’s economic empowerment initiatives like EWA. These initiatives demonstrate that women across Africa are not only participants in agri-food systems—they are leaders driving innovation and transformation within their communities.”
During the two-day meeting, participants reflected on key priorities emerging from the discussions, including gender-responsive innovation, climate resilience, and expanding opportunities for women farmers and agribusiness leaders across the region.
A key milestone of the Forum was the presentation and formal adoption of the Terms of Reference for the IGAD Women Forum on Agrifood Systems, which outlines the Forum’s vision, governance structure, membership, operational modalities, and accountability mechanisms.
The Forum also agreed on the designation of national focal points, priority actions for the first year of implementation, and a roadmap for continued collaboration among Member States.
The successful conclusion of the Forum marks an important step toward operationalising the IGAD Women Forum on Agrifood Systems as a regional platform for policy dialogue, collaboration, and coordinated action to advance gender equality and sustainable Agrifood systems transformation across the IGAD region.
