The economic contribution of women to agricultural and irrigation activities and to the livelihoods, well-being and food security of families and communities is often unrecognized, invisible and mostly undervalued. Moreover, the role of women in fetching, preserving and managing productive and non-productive water often goes unrecognized and understudied. Hence, this assessment aims to shed light on the different contributions and benefits of women and men in relation to agricultural roles, responsibilities and resources, focusing mainly on productive agricultural resources, including water, to inform more efficient, equitable and gender-responsive programmes in the future.

The book comprises of three divisions viz., Gender in agriculture development (Part I), Gender in allied sectors of agriculture (Part II) and Data, tools and approaches in gender analysis (Part III) that explicates the prevalent gendered relegations. It provides insights on the gender dimensions in Indian agriculture, including initiatives, policy reforms and mends the literature gap in gender roles in the sector. The gender roles and impacts from different cultural and geographical horizons of Indian agricultural and allied sectors in the emerging contexts of globalization, urbanization, climate change and the Covid19 pandemic are gathered in this book.

Despite the key roles that rural women play in food systems, in agrobiodiversity conservation, natural resource management, food production, preparation and marketing, rural women are particularly affected by the impacts of climate change due to limited access and control over resources fundamental to adaptation and limited participation in decision-making processes. Similarly, they lack equal access to productive resources needed for agricultural livelihoods, and are often the last to eat when food is scarce. Decision-making and leadership in climate action and governance are also male dominated and the decisions less likely to respond to women’s needs and wants.

It is therefore urgent to ensure that policy and programmatic response for building back better and strengthening the resilience of food systems and communities takes into account the interests and constraints of women and men from diverse social, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. For this to happen, it is important to strengthen women’s leadership and participation at all levels of climate action and governance.

Current data suggests that the global community is far from achieving the 2030 agenda of ending hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition. By the end of 2019, 650 million people suffered from chronic hunger and 135 million experienced acute food-insecurity. Not all regions are equal: the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2020 found that some are experiencing less severe incidence of hunger on the GHI scale, compared to others. The most serious levels of hunger are in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This brief focuses on South Asia. It analyses the factors underlying the so-called ‘South Asian Enigma’—the paradoxical co-existence of hunger and malnutrition amidst economic prosperity—and dissects the disproportionate impacts on women.

Current data suggests that the global community is far from achieving the 2030 agenda of ending hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition. By the end of 2019, 650 million people suffered from chronic hunger and 135 million experienced acute food-insecurity. Not all regions are equal: the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2020 found that some are experiencing less severe incidence of hunger on the GHI scale, compared to others. The most serious levels of hunger are in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This brief focuses on South Asia. It analyses the factors underlying the so-called ‘South Asian Enigma’—the paradoxical co-existence of hunger and malnutrition amidst economic prosperity—and dissects the disproportionate impacts on women.

Women smallholder farmers often face complex social and economic barriers that prevent them from exercising agency and securing decent livelihoods. This Discussion Summary Paper draws from an online discussion co-hosted by Business Fights Poverty, Unilever and Oxfam, on how companies and their partners can recognize, value, and enhance the contributions of the hidden women on whom our global food supply systems depend. Read it to learn about the key levers of change, case studies and lessons learned, and how to collaborate for transformational change.