The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) and the Women Development Organization (WDO), convened a High-Level Regional Dialogue on Women’s Empowerment and Access to Finance for Advancing Circular Agriculture in the Arab Region. The event was held from 5–6 November 2025 under the patronage of H.E. Prof. Saeb Khraisat, Jordan’s Minister of Agriculture.
The dialogue brought together ministers, senior representatives from agriculture ministries, policymakers, development partners, financial institutions, private sector stakeholders, and women entrepreneurs from across the region. Its aim was to explore gender-responsive financing mechanisms that enhance women’s leadership in sustainable and circular agriculture.
AbdulHakim Elwaer, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, highlighted the importance of enabling women through access to finance. He said empowering women is crucial for achieving food security, climate resilience, and social equity. He added that policy reforms and innovative financing approaches are needed to make women active agents of the green transformation, noting the upcoming International Year of the Woman Farmer in 2026 as a timely opportunity.
The dialogue highlighted women’s central role in circular agriculture, including processing, composting, and the reuse of byproducts to improve resource efficiency. Despite their contributions, women face significant economic barriers. While women account for over 60 percent of the agricultural workforce in MENA, rising to 70–80 percent in regions like Egypt’s Nile Valley and rural Morocco, their work is often underreported and considered unpaid family labor. Only 42 percent of women hold formal financial accounts compared to 54 percent of men, and more than half report limited investment knowledge.
FAO shared examples of regional initiatives supporting women, such as grants to over 2,100 women in Lebanon to expand agrifood enterprises and the Saudi REEF Programme, which empowers women entrepreneurs in the leather value chain through ecofriendly tanning and biomaterial innovation. Participants highlighted the need for simplified, gender-responsive financing, combined with training, mentorship, and technical support, alongside tailored insurance schemes to enhance resilience in the face of natural disasters.
As the region prepares for the International Year of the Woman Farmer, participants agreed on designing innovative financial mechanisms that strengthen women’s leadership across agriculture and the bioeconomy. Investing in women farmers and integrating them into circular and regenerative agriculture is seen as vital for building resilient rural livelihoods, sustainable food systems, and inclusive green growth.
