An archive image of a newly developed agriculture development cohort in Musina which saw women farmers in the majority.
The Rural Women’s Assembly (RWA) of Southern Africa has called for governments to place women smallholder farmers at the centre of food and climate policy, saying rural women are already producing the answers needed to build resilient food systems across the region.
In a statement following the dialogue, the RWA said the gathering, held at the University of Pretoria in Pretoria, closed on Tuesday, June 9, after what it described as a successful three-day consultative policy dialogue.
The dialogue, which opened on Sunday, June 7, was held under the theme: "We Have Answers: Building Resilient Food Systems," and brought together women smallholder farmers, government representatives, academics and civil society organisations from across Southern and Eastern Africa.
It took place against the backdrop of 2026 being marked as the International Year of Women Farmers, and at a time when many communities across the continent continue to face rising poverty, food insecurity, climate shocks and escalating food prices.
