ICBA Hosts WACAA Regional Dialogue in Baku to Empower Women for Climate Action in Agriculture
The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) successfully held the Regional Strategic Dialogue titled “Climate Change and Women in Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities” on October 22-23, 2024, at the Institute of Genetic Resources of Azerbaijan in Baku. Funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), this dialogue is a strategic initiative leading up to COP29, focusing on critical gender issues in agriculture and empowering women to take the lead in climate action across the Central Asia and Caucasus (CAC) region.
The event opened with remarks from Dr. Tarifa Alzaabi, Director General of ICBA; Dr. Charbel Tarraf, Chief Operations and Development at ICBA; and Prof. Zeynal Akparov, Director General of the Genetic Resources Institute. Dr. Alzaabi emphasized the importance of the Women in Agriculture for Climate Action Alliance (WACAA), launched during COP28, as a pivotal move to place women at the forefront of sustainable agricultural development. WACAA aims to reach one million women globally by 2050 through four key pillars: capacity development, financial mobilization, policy advocacy, and networking.
The dialogue brought together 30 women experts from diverse backgrounds in agriculture and climate science across the CAC region. Participants explored concepts such as equity, intersectionality, and women’s empowerment, sharing success stories and discussing community-based approaches and innovative technologies to enhance food security and climate resilience.
Kaseeva Gulnaz, Head of Agrolead in Kyrgyzstan, shared her positive experience from the seminar, stating, “It was very effective, raising important issues in agriculture and gender aspects. The seminar facilitated excellent exchanges of experience, and I even secured a contract for high-quality seed supply.”
Ms. Makpal Bulatova, Project Manager at the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), recognized the alignment of WACAA with IOFS’s Vision 2031, underscoring the need for collaboration in promoting innovative technologies and climate-smart agriculture.
ICBA remains committed to empowering women leaders, farmers, and scientists through initiatives like WACAA, fostering a sustainable and equitable future in agriculture.
