Over the past decade, interest in gender equality and women’s empowerment has grown rapidly, creating a unique opportunity to institutionalize gender research within agricultural research for development. This book, edited by researchers from the CGIAR Gender Platform, reviews and reflects on the growing body of evidence from gender research. It marks a shift a way from a traditional focus on how gender analysis can contribute to improved productivity, flipping the question to ask, How does agricultural and environmental research and development contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment? Chapters synthesize the wide range of CGIAR and other research in this area, covering breeding research and seed systems, value chain participation, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, natural resources, climate adaptation and mitigation, the “feminization” of agriculture, women’s role in agricultural research, and emerging gender transformative approaches.

With the current Second Growth and Transformation Plan (2015-2020), the Government of Ethiopia expects the agro-industrial sector to play key role in economic growth of the Country. Accordingly, the creation of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks has been identified as one of the key mechanisms for accelerating the development of the sector and the structural transformation of agriculture. Agro-industrial parks will play a significant role in transitioning Ethiopia from an agricultural-led into an industrial-led economy. In view of that, the development of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks has been prioritized in Ethiopia’s national development strategy and four Agro Industrial Growth Corridors have been selected for piloting the establishment of four Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks. The initiative aims at driving the structural transformation of the Ethiopian economy while reducing rural poverty and creating a better environment for increased investments in agro-processing and allied sectors. Since 1981, FAO has been a strong partner of the Government of Ethiopia towards the achievement of national food security and economic growth goals. FAO is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to empower value chain actors and to promote inclusive, efficient and sustainable agricultural value chains. The present document is the fourth one of a series of detailed analyses of prioritized commodities, which will lead to inclusive, sustainable and stronger agricultural value chains in the Agro-Commodities Procurement Zone of the pilot Integrated Agro-Industrial Park in Central-Eastern Oromia.

With the current Second Growth and Transformation Plan (2015-2020), the Government of Ethiopia expects the agro-industrial sector to play key role in economic growth of the Country. Accordingly, the creation of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks has been identified as one of the key mechanisms for accelerating the development of the sector and the structural transformation of agriculture. Agro-industrial parks will play a significant role in transitioning Ethiopia from an agricultural-led into an industrial-led economy. In view of that, the development of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks has been prioritized in Ethiopia’s national development strategy and four Agro-Industrial Growth Corridors have been selected for piloting the establishment of four Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks. The initiative aims at driving the structural transformation of the Ethiopian economy while reducing rural poverty and creating a better environment for increased investments in agro-processing and allied sectors. Since 1981, FAO has been a strong partner of the Government of Ethiopia towards the achievement of national food security and economic growth goals. FAO is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to empower value chain actors and to promote inclusive, efficient and sustainable agricultural value chains. The present document is the first one of a series of detailed analyses of prioritized commodities, which will lead to inclusive, sustainable and stronger agricultural value chains in the Agro-Commodities Procurement Zone of the pilot Integrated Agro-Industrial Park in Central-Eastern Oromia.

With the current Second Growth and Transformation Plan (2015-2020), the Government of Ethiopia expects the agro-industrial sector to play key role in economic growth of the Country. Accordingly, the creation of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks has been identified as one of the key mechanisms for accelerating the development of the sector and the structural transformation of agriculture. Agro-industrial parks will play a significant role in transitioning Ethiopia from an agricultural-led into an industrial-led economy. In view of that, the development of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks has been prioritized in Ethiopia’s national development strategy and four Agro Industrial Growth Corridors have been selected for piloting the establishment of four Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks. The initiative aims at driving the structural transformation of the Ethiopian economy while reducing rural poverty and creating a better environment for increased investments in agro-processing and allied sectors. Since 1981, FAO has been a strong partner of the Government of Ethiopia towards the achievement of national food security and economic growth goals. FAO is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to empower value chain actors and to promote inclusive, efficient and sustainable agricultural value chains. The present document is the fourth one of a series of detailed analyses of prioritized commodities, which will lead to inclusive, sustainable and stronger agricultural value chains in the Agro-Commodities Procurement Zone of the pilot Integrated Agro-Industrial Park in Central-Eastern Oromia.

With the current Second Growth and Transformation Plan (2015-2020), the Government of Ethiopia expects the agro-industrial sector to play key role in economic growth of the Country. Accordingly, the creation of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks has been identified as one of the key mechanisms for accelerating the development of the sector and the structural transformation of agriculture. Agro-industrial parks will play a significant role in transitioning Ethiopia from an agricultural-led into an industrial-led economy. In view of that, the development of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks has been prioritized in Ethiopia’s national development strategy and four Agro-Industrial Growth Corridors have been selected for piloting the establishment of four Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks. The initiative aims at driving the structural transformation of the Ethiopian economy while reducing rural poverty and creating a better environment for increased investments in agro-processing and allied sectors. Since 1981, FAO has been a strong partner of the Government of Ethiopia towards the achievement of national food security and economic growth goals. FAO is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to empower value chain actors and to promote inclusive, efficient and sustainable agricultural value chains. The present document is the second one of a series of detailed analyses of prioritized commodities, which will lead to inclusive, sustainable and stronger agricultural value chains in the Agro-Commodities Procurement Zone of the pilot Integrated Agro-Industrial Park in Central-Eastern Oromia.

Achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment in food systems can result in greater food security and better nutrition, and in more just, resilient, and sustainable food systems for all. This paper uses a scoping review to assess the current evidence on pathways between gender equality, women’s empowerment, and food systems. The paper uses an adaptation of the food systems framework to organize the evidence and identify where evidence is strong, and where gaps remain. Results show strong evidence on women’s differing access to resources, shaped and reinforced by contextual social gender norms, and on links between women’s empowerment and maternal education and important outcomes, such as nutrition and dietary diversity. However, evidence is limited on issues such as gender considerations in food systems for women in urban areas and in aquaculture value chains, best practices and effective pathways for engaging men in the process of women’s empowerment in food systems, and for addressing issues related to migration, crises, and indigenous food systems. And while there are gender informed evaluation studies that examine the effectiveness of gender- and nutrition- sensitive agricultural programs, evidence to indicate the long-term sustainability of such impacts remains limited. The paper recommends keys areas for investment: improving women’s leadership and decision-making in food systems, promoting equal and positive gender norms, improving access to resources, and building cross-contextual research evidence on gender and food systems.