On October 9, 2023, President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu inaugurated an International Research Conference titled ‘From Research to Impact: Towards Just and Resilient Agri-Food Systems,’ hosted jointly by the CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in New Delhi.
Addressing the conference, President Murmu emphasized the critical importance of justice within society, regardless of its prosperity, and highlighted the need for gender justice within the field of agriculture. She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had underscored the strong link between agri-food systems and structural inequality, particularly affecting women who experienced more job losses and migration due to the crisis.
President Murmu pointed out that globally, women have long been excluded from agri-food systems, primarily occupying the lowest rungs of the agriculture hierarchy while lacking opportunities to ascend as decision-makers. Discriminatory social norms and barriers related to knowledge, ownership, assets, resources, and social networks have hindered their progress. She emphasized the need to change this narrative and acknowledged the progress made in India through legislative and governmental interventions empowering women.
She asserted that modern women are not helpless but powerful (‘sabla’ not ‘abla’), advocating for women-led development. President Murmu stressed the imperative of making agri-food systems more just, inclusive, and equitable for the well-being of the planet and humankind.
Addressing climate change as an existential threat, President Murmu called for swift action. She highlighted how climate change disrupts food production, making agri-food cycles unsustainable and environmentally damaging, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. She emphasized the need to break this cycle, increase biodiversity, and restore ecosystems to ensure food and nutritional security while fostering a more prosperous and equitable future.
President Murmu underscored the importance of research to enable ecologically sustainable, ethically desirable, economically affordable, and socially justifiable agricultural production. She called for a systematic understanding of transforming agri-food systems to enhance resilience and agility in the face of shocks and disruptions, making nutritious diets accessible and affordable. She expressed confidence that the conference would address these issues and pave the way for positive transformation in agri-food systems over the next four days.
