On March 8th, International Women’s Day, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is launching the 2010-2011 State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) on “Women in agriculture: Closing the gender gap for development.” The report documents gender differences in access to agricultural inputs in developing countries and stresses the importance of gender equality in promoting agricultural development and food security.

Agnes Quisumbing and Ruth Meinzen-Dick, senior researchers who led IFPRI’s important contributions to the 2010-2011 SOFA, will participate in a panel discussion about the report’s findings at the World Bank on March 15th. The panel will address such questions as “Closing yield gaps: what is the impact on women?” and “What are the key lessons on how to put more income in the hands of women.” IFPRI Director General Shenggen Fan will also speak at the Washington, DC launch of this year’s SOFA at the National Press Club on March 14th.

The 2010-2011 SOFA is available on the FAO website.

Read more about IFPRI’s work on gender.