Drawing from the 6th Africa-Wide Agricultural Extension Week (AAEW), held from 5th to 11th November 2023 at the Abuja Intercontinental Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria, under the theme “Harnessing Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services in Scaling Regenerative Agriculture and Nature-Based Solutions for Food System Transformation in Africa,” the first-ever Gender Side Event was successfully convened by AFAAS.
The Gender Side Event, themed “Enhancing Sustainable Food Systems: Empowering Women and Youth in Regenerative Agriculture and Nature-Based Solutions,” marked a significant milestone in the AAEW agenda. It brought together a total of 57 participants (23 women and 34 men) from 11 countries: Benin, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia. Additionally, two key sub-regional organizations—CORAF and CCARDESA, actively participated in the side event, reinforcing the collaborative spirit and regional commitment to gender equality and youth empowerment in agriculture. The 2023 Gender Side Event served as a catalytic moment for advancing gender mainstreaming within agricultural extension systems. It fostered consensus on empowerment strategies, facilitated the review and sharing of gender-responsive tools, and established a sustainable platform for ongoing engagement. Notably, key gender issues raised during the event were integrated into the overall AAEW 2023 Communique read out as a call to action.