An event dedicated to International Women’s Day was held at Saken Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University under the theme “Empowering Women Farmers: Cultivating Change for a Sustainable Future.”
The event was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Kazakhstan, UN Women Kazakhstan, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kazakhstan, and Saken Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University. The gathering brought together students, faculty members, and representatives of international organizations to discuss the vital role of women in the agricultural sector.
The event served as an important national platform for highlighting the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026. Participants discussed the contributions of women to sustainable agriculture, food security, and rural development, while also addressing structural barriers that continue to limit their potential in Kazakhstan and globally.
During the opening and thematic sessions, representatives of the university, UN agencies, and the diplomatic community emphasized that supporting women is not a secondary task, but a fundamental condition for building a sustainable and inclusive future.
“Closing the gender gaps in farm productivity and wages could increase global gross domestic product by USD 1 trillion and reduce food insecurity for 45 million people. Agrifood systems are a major employer of women globally; however, in Kazakhstan, we still face a lack of sex-disaggregated data in agriculture. Much of women’s work remains informal or is classified as self-employment, representing more than 40 percent of the agricultural workforce in the country. This event is an opportunity to highlight actions that can help close the gender gap, such as improving access to land, credit, and technology,” noted Zhanyl Bozayeva, Programme Coordinator of FAO Kazakhstan.
UN Women highlighted that globally, approximately 10 percent of women continue to live in extreme poverty, and at the current pace, achieving gender parity in management positions could take nearly a century.
“Rights, Justice, and Action are essential for all women and girls. In Central Asia, women spend 3.4 times more hours per day on unpaid care and domestic work than men—significantly higher than the global average. Empowering women is a catalyst for ambitious reforms and the advancement of sustainable food systems,” emphasized Dr. Ceren Guven Gures, Head of the UN Women Central Asia Liaison Office and Representative in Kazakhstan.
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands shared international perspectives on agricultural innovation and gender equality.
“In the Netherlands, one-third of farms are managed or co-managed by women, and more than half of the students at Wageningen University are women. We believe that women are not only participants but also innovators and leaders of sustainable food systems. Recognizing and supporting their role is fundamental to our international strategy and our cooperation with Kazakhstan,” said Amina Kussainova, Human Rights Officer at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The event concluded with an interactive quiz for students focused on food security and gender equality, followed by a Q&A session where participants discussed the skills and knowledge required for young professionals to contribute to the agricultural sector. The insights and reflections from these discussions will support ongoing efforts to inform policymaking and encourage increased investment in the empowerment of women farmers.
