Empowering Rural Women Through Agricultural Innovation is the parallel event organized by WFO and GFAR during the CSW in New York.

First-hand involvement by women farmers in the research and development process of agricultural innovation is crucial to reach sustainable development in the long term.

Farmers are at the forefront of innovations and they play an integral role in achieving food security; in this context, rural women play a critical role in the rural economies of both developed and developing countries.

We are now facing the challenge of how to enable and empower rural women to become successful entrepreneurs, thus improving their livelihoods and make their income-generating activities more profitable.

Rural women and their families are the backbone of the agriculure sector; they participate in crop production and livestock care, provide food for their families, and carry out vital functions in caring for children, and families.

The event will discuss how innovations lead to women's socio-economic empowerment, with first-hand experiences of women farmers from Africa and South America.

The event will take place on 12 March 2014 in the Salvation Army Building, New York. Please find attached the program of the event.

Photo credit: ©FAO/Marco Longari