Women in Value Chains and Agri-Food Systems Transformation

On 29 September 2026, APAARI, together with ARINEENA, CACAARI, FARA and CIRDAP, hosted a webinar on “Women in Value Chains and Agri-Food Systems Transformation” as part of a 2026 webinar series organised to celebrate and recognise the International Year of Women Farmers. Held at 3:00 p.m. Bangkok time, the webinar provided a platform to highlight the contributions of women farmers and women working across agri-food value chains, while creating opportunities for regional knowledge exchange and collaboration. The discussion focused on women’s participation and leadership and examined how their engagement could contribute to more resilient, inclusive and sustainable agri-food systems.

• Dr. Joanna Kane-Potaka — Executive Secretary, GFAiR (Global Forum on Agricultural Innovation and Research). 
• Dr. Arjun Singh Saini — horticulture and agricultural development expert; formerly Director General of Horticulture, Government of Haryana.
• Ms. Lama Najib — Training and Capacity Development, FAO.
• Mr. Anil Kumar S. G. — the event announcement identifies him as a speaker, although I could not verify a current institutional title from a sufficiently reliable public source.
• Dr. Jyoti Saroop — Founder & Director, Unati Cooperative / biotechnology expert and social entrepreneur.
• Ms. Naheeda Maqbool 
• Dr. Tala Qtaishat — Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management, School of Agriculture, University of Jordan.
• Dr. Munoko Karen Musikoyo-Nguru — Agribusiness Expert, FARA (Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa), with responsibilities including gender and youth initiatives.

The webinar explored several dimensions of women’s involvement in agri-food value chains, including entrepreneurship, aggregation, processing and market integration. It also examined the institutional, financial and digital conditions that could enable women to participate more effectively and take on stronger leadership roles. Access to finance, appropriate institutions, digital tools, markets and networks were considered important elements in creating an enabling environment for women’s economic engagement. By bringing together organisations and stakeholders from across regions, the webinar also emphasised the value of sharing experiences and approaches that can strengthen women’s roles throughout agri-food systems. 

Overall, the session recognised women farmers not only as important producers, but also as entrepreneurs, processors, market actors and leaders contributing to the transformation of food systems.