Women: The key to food security

FOOD security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
A recent IFPRI research confirms the central role women play as producers of food, managers of natural resources, income earners, and caretakers of household food and nutrition security. "Closing the gender gap and ensuring equal access by women to resources and assets are indispensable for accelerating agricultural and rural development and poverty alleviation," a FAO report says.
Improving education status of women could dramatically reduce hunger in developing countries. The UN report says the education of women is "the single most important determinant" of food security. It says that a 43% reduction in hunger in developing countries can be attributed to progress in educating women, compared to 26% for better access to food.
In anticipation of the Women Deliver 2013 Conference, Food Tank is recommending five ways to invest in women and girls through food and agriculture: supporting girls' access to education and success in school, teaching women sustainable farming practices, giving women control of their health choices, addressing violence against women, providing credit to women in agriculture.
Women must also be included alongside men in the design of agricultural and food programmes. Involving more women in development processes may require special outreach and training for poorer and less educated women and for those who hesitate to voice their needs in front of men because of cultural reasons.
Food security and anti-poverty strategies must be transformative and make the redistribution of roles between women and men a priority. This is the only way to make sure that the social investment intended to sustain the poor does not also sustain the gender divisions that characterise poverty and keep it locked in place.
There is still much progress to be made -- progress that could finally help to achieve global food security. Improving women's access to education, health and economic resources will lead to better food security for not only women and children, but for the whole world as well.

The writer is Professor, Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Dhaka.