Our efforts for gender equality are based on women's empowerment. In agricultural development, there is a "gender gap" where women typically lack the same resources as men, including access to financing, up-to-date farming knowledge, and mechanized equipment.

Gender equality is a fundamental human right for creating a peaceful, thriving, and sustainable world. However, many barriers still exist, such as sexual violence, the unequal distribution of unpaid care work, and discrimination in public office.

The agricultural sector has significant potential to empower women and create opportunities. In many countries, women farmers face multiple challenges that make it hard for them to feed their families and improve their livelihoods. Women make up, on average, 43 percent of agricultural labor in low—and middle-income countries. Nearly 80% of the world's food comes from smallscale farms; in some areas, women make up the majority of farmers.

The Harvest Fund supports gender equality by identifying the main challenges female farmers face. We provide flexible financing to help them buy modern tools, like solar-powered irrigation systems, which are essential for growing food. We also address climate challenges, such as drought, that limit their ability to grow crops and earn more money. We focus on the technologies they need, especially since many lack electricity or running water. Thus, a water pump and irrigation hoses powered with solar energy - as opposed to diesel - are critical to growing more crops.

We understand that years of marginalization and poverty influence their beliefs and self-confidence. This can make it difficult for them to make independent decisions. To help, our EmpowHER Academy offers training to boost their self-esteem. We cover topics like personal leadership, vision-setting, and problem-solving.

To increase agricultural productivity in areas with many female farmers, we must address the overlooked factors that prevent women from growing more crops. Thus, in order to increase our farmer loan repayment rates, we must focus on women's empowerment to increase how much each farmer grows and can repay.

Gender inequality is a significant problem in agriculture. Women face challenges in accessing resources, dealing with discrimination, and earning lower wages.

To create positive changes for gender equality, we focus on the local context. In many rural African communities, women traditionally work together in groups. So, we partner with women's cooperatives rather than just individual female farmers.

This approach helps us empower women leaders within each cooperative. As their confidence increases, they can better negotiate with local crop buyers, tribal chiefs, and government officials. When female farmers gain strength and raise their voices, they become more independent and less dependent on aid. They can advocate for themselves and adopt new methods, like those from regenerative agriculture that restore the environment.

To help more smallscale farmers join important value chains, we must urgently tackle the gender issues that hold many of them back. To strengthen the vegetable value chains in which we operate, we have to strengthen the female farmers' capability so that they can contribute to the value chain and, thus, the greater agricultural economy.

Many communities in Zambia, both rural and urban, often show signs of a patriarchal system. This behavior comes from long-standing traditions. Changing these habits takes time and dedication.

Yet, if we want rural communities to experience economic growth so that there are thriving farms, we have to explore what holds half of the population back. Once we create gender equality in rural communities, we can ensure that the rural farms become stronger and can contribute more to our vegetable value chains.

Our primary focus is on women's cooperatives in agriculture, but we also encourage men to participate. Our team and board include diverse members, including men, and we work closely with women's extension officers from the Ministry of Agriculture. In addition, our EmpowHER Academy emphasizes the importance of shared decision-making in households. We believe that open communication and effective dialogue among all household and community members are vital for achieving lasting gender equality.

Act now to be part of this important conversation.