Global Food System Pressures Could Widen Gender Gap by 2050, CGIAR Report Finds
15 October 2026, Nairobi: Women in low-income countries risk falling further behind men as climate change, rising input costs and trade disruptions place increasing pressure on global food systems, according to a new report released by the CGIAR GENDER Accelerator.
The report, Advancing Equality, Transforming Futures: A Path to Resilient and Productive Food, Land and Water Systems in 2050, calls for coordinated action by governments, funders, non-governmental organisations, researchers and the private sector to address gender inequalities in food, land and water systems.
The publication identifies institutional, legal and social reforms, inclusive infrastructure, social protection, improved data collection and responsible use of emerging technologies as key measures to reduce gender gaps by 2050.
According to the report, climate change is expected to intensify water scarcity, potentially increasing the time women spend collecting water by 30%. Rural women are also expected to transition increasingly towards off-farm employment by 2050, creating opportunities in sectors such as retail, food processing and logistics. However, the report warns that access to these opportunities is likely to remain unequal without targeted interventions.
The authors recommend safer working environments and combining technical training for women with measures to address social norms that increase their unpaid care responsibilities and limit their participation in decision-making.
Digital technologies could also help reduce gender inequalities across food systems. However, existing barriers continue to limit women’s access to these tools. Research cited in the report indicates that women in Kenya are up to 25% less likely than men to access digital climate advisory services because of structural gender barriers.
The report recommends involving women in the development of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, before these solutions are scaled up. It also calls for training and support to help women access and use digital tools effectively.
“The choices we make over the coming years will determine whether food, land, and water systems become more equitable or more unequal, more resilient or more fragile,” said Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR.
Nicoline de Haan, Director of the CGIAR GENDER Accelerator, said addressing gender inequality requires structural changes across food systems rather than isolated interventions.
The report was released on the International Day of Rural Women, also highlighting the International Year of the Woman Farmer. It presents a framework for policymakers, development partners and businesses to integrate gender equality into food systems transformation and strengthen the role of women as decision-makers and leaders by 2050.
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