On April 22, 2025, the MEDAE network, established as part of the NATAE project, organized its 7th webinar on how agroecology can be used as a lever to empower women in North Africa.
Attended by 70 participants, the webinar featured presentations by five agroecology professionals from the agricultural and research sectors.
Following an introductory presentation that contextualized the place and role of women in family farming and in the development of agroecology, the three presentations that followed nuanced this picture by pointing out that there is no single place or role for women in North African agriculture, and more specifically in agroecology. In reality, there is a plurality of experiences linked to various factors that can influence the challenges and opportunities faced by these women. However, several common characteristics were highlighted, including the importance of women in knowledge-sharing (particularly between generations) and their capacity for innovation in the production, promotion, and marketing of agricultural products, despite social norms and public policies that can sometimes represent real obstacles to their socio-economic empowerment. The presentations and two discussion sessions organized with the webinar participants highlighted a number of areas for improvement aimed at promoting the development of agroecological activities by women in North Africa.
A final presentation by the keynote speaker recognized the potential of agroecology as a lever for the empowerment of North African women, while emphasizing the need to remove certain barriers so that women can fully take their place and contribute to the agroecological transition of North African countries.
The webinar replay can be viewed online at this link and a full summary of the various presentations can be found here.
