Themes

This story reveals that the primary victims of shocks such as Covid-19 are the marginalised and voiceless people, in this case women small farmers. The local government that provides guardianship to such people can appear silent, because of the influence of powerful actors. Alliances between local women and researchers, together with the use of deliberative forums, can restore women's rights and voices.

Native to many regions of Africa, the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is a non-pest insect known for its remarkable waste-conversion abilities. A GLOW project is using black soldier flies to convert waste to wealth and empower women.

A survey by the Southasian Institute of Advanced Studies revealed the personality traits, managerial skills, and business attributes of entrepreneurs who survived or fell victim to the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey, carried out among farmers in Arghakhanchi and Ramechhap districts, suggests larger farms with higher start-up capital are more likely to survive longer.

Urban farming has the potential to diversify economies, increase food security and improve nutrition - as demonstrated by an innovative project in Kenya that stresses women farmers' empowerment.

Climate change is imposing heavy costs on smallholder farmers and local communities whose livelihoods are based on natural resources - including in Nepal, where male out-migration places an especially heavy burden on women to navigate the changes.

At COP28 in Dubai in November-December 2023, governments will negotiate a political statement and commitment to further action on 'just transitions': how transitions to low-carbon economies can provide decent, secure employment for millions of workers. Sign this call to action for gender-just, low-carbon economies, to raise the profile of women's empowerment as a critical consideration for the climate talks and COP28 decision.

The team at the Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture describe the work they are doing to improve women's economic opportunities in the production of corn and corn products.

Daniela Romero of INESAD Bolivia shares some of the thinking behind the team's research on its GLOW project:  Creating indigenous women's green jobs under low-carbon Covid-19 recovery in Bolivia's quinoa sector.