The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has pushed for more involvement of women in the rice value chains.
ECOWAS concluded a pivotal two-day Gender Equity Consultative Meeting on Rice Sector Development, held on March 18th -19th 2025, in Abuja,bringing together key stakeholders from across ECOWAS Member States to address the critical challenges and opportunities facing women working within the region’s rice sector.
The primary objective of the meeting was to foster a more inclusive and equitable rice value chain, recognizing the vital role women play in its success.
A significant achievement was the validation of the comprehensive Gender Equity Study report. During the working sessions, participants also developed an Action Plan with a Gender Strategy framework to address challenges faced by women and youth in the region. A key highlight of the meeting was the resounding call from stakeholders for the establishment of an ECOWAS Women in Rice Platform. This proposed platform is envisioned as a vital mechanism to foster effective women’s participation across the entire rice value chain.
