Looking ahead: gender and inclusion in food, land and water systems in 2050
Foresight research has not fully explored gender equality as a possible outcome of changes in FLWS over time, nor has it examined how gender inequalities hinder the transformation of these systems. Current trends suggest that only marginal progress is being made to address gender inequalities in food, land and water systems (FLWS), and this lack of progress will make it more difficult for women to participate in, benefit from and contribute meaningfully to FLWS transformation into the future. Young people also face considerable barriers to full participation in FLWS,
such as lack of access to land and other resources, and limited economic opportunities.
While progress has been real, it remains incremental because most interventions in FLWS have focused on women’s access to resources, services and participation, while insufficient attention has been paid to underlying structural factors, such as biases in institutions, unequal governance and decision-making structures and restrictive social norms that perpetuate inequalities. Progress is also uneven. While advancements are being made in some areas, such as closing the gender digital divide6 and integrating gender into the design of policies and interventions, other trends, such as intensifying climate change and conflict proliferation are eroding progress or even exacerbating inequalities. Moreover, these general trends and patterns vary both across and within regions and backsliding on progress toward gender equality can occur, particularly following major geopolitical shifts and global shocks — as is currently evident in the ongoing polycrisis.
This chapter explores key drivers of gender (in)equality and youth inclusion in FLWS to 2050 by region under different scenarios, considering optimistic, pessimistic and business-as-usual trends in terms of demographic shifts and economic growth, drawing on historical trends over the past 20 years. Unequal outcomes, such as gender-related earnings gaps, reflect unequal power relations embedded within FLWS that also shape the process of agricultural transformation. While power relations are not directly observed in the projections presented in this chapter, these underlying and evolving dynamics also determine the degree to which it is possible to achieve gender parity by 2050.
Authors
Bryan, Elizabeth; Malapit, Hazel J.; Lopez Avila, Diana; Thurlow, James; Escalante, Luis Enrique
Citation
Bryan, E., Malapit, H., Avila, D.L., Thurlow, J. and Escalante, L. 2026. Looking ahead: gender and inclusion in food, land and water systems in 2050. IN: Lecoutere, E., Muchiri, C. and Voss, R. (eds.), 2026. Advancing equality, transforming futures: a path to resilient and productive food, land and water systems in 2050. Nairobi, Kenya: CGIAR Gender Equality and Inclusion Accelerator.
Keywords
Gender; Food Systems; Water
