Focus on
Women in Data
Women play a critical and potentially transformative role in agricultural growth in developing countries. For International Women´s Day, we want to highlight some of the women data scientists working to transform the lives of smallholder farmers across the globe.
#EachForEqual
Working towards gender-equal agricultural development and innovation requires a rethink as to how problems are defined and prioritized, who is engaged, and the way in which solutions are integrated. The CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture is commited to achieving an gender-equal approach to agricultural development solutions through an inclusive digital transformation of the sector.
“It’s become ever more apparent that if we are to achieve a digital transformation in agriculture that is inclusive and avoids growing the digital divide, gender would be a key component.”
Brian King, CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture Coordinator
Big Data & Gender Initiatives
Medha Devare – Platform for Big Data in Agriculture
"Just under 50% of the global agricultural workforce is female, and over two-thirds of smallholder farmers are women, by some estimates. Why shouldn’t this female workforce have similar representation in those trying to work for and with them?"
Rosemary Shrestha – International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
"I always find great pleasure while interacting with multidisciplinary teams like scientists, software developers, data curators/managers, address issues related to databases/tools required for managing research data."
Catherine Pfeifer – Spatial Analyst, International Livestock Research Institute
"It is an exciting time to work in the data sector, both for women and men. If we get it right, the data revolution can change the livestock & agricultural sector"
Jane Poole – International Livestock Research Institute
Statistician, ILRI-ICRAF - "Organisations, sectors, and disciplines are always going to work better with a balance of women and men, as well as other aspects of diversity, because we approach problems in different ways and ask different questions."
Elizabeth Arnaud – Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT
"The fact that women farmers express specific needs can perhaps be better captured and analyzed by a woman, according to the cultural context."
Alma Carolina Rivera – International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
"It is time to forget all the misconceptions around what a woman can or cannot do. Women should be involved in every discipline of science and in an equal way to men."
Harriet Kasidi Mugera – World Bank
"Women remain key in agriculture in most societies, especially in Africa, and have a greater incentive to use the data to inform policy and improve the livelihoods of other women practicing agriculture."
Fridah Nyakundi – Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT
"My advice to women interested in data science is that they should set audacious goals and not look back. There is room for them here."
Paula Andrea Paz – Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT
"It is really amazing working in this field. It doesn’t matter if you are a woman or a man. We are just at the beginning of what computational sciences could achieve."
Ulrike Wood-Sichra – International Food Policy Research Institute
"If more women were involved in the data collection, methodology, and processing, our attention would automatically focus more on women’s issues and contributions in development and agriculture, and more gender-specific data would become the norm."
Medha Devare – Platform for Big Data in Agriculture
"Just under 50% of the global agricultural workforce is female, and over two-thirds of smallholder farmers are women, by some estimates. Why shouldn’t this female workforce have similar representation in those trying to work for and with them?"
Rosemary Shrestha – International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
"I always find great pleasure while interacting with multidisciplinary teams like scientists, software developers, data curators/managers, address issues related to databases/tools required for managing research data."
Catherine Pfeifer – Spatial Analyst, International Livestock Research Institute
"It is an exciting time to work in the data sector, both for women and men. If we get it right, the data revolution can change the livestock & agricultural sector"
Jane Poole – International Livestock Research Institute
Statistician, ILRI-ICRAF - "Organisations, sectors, and disciplines are always going to work better with a balance of women and men, as well as other aspects of diversity, because we approach problems in different ways and ask different questions."
Elizabeth Arnaud – Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT
"The fact that women farmers express specific needs can perhaps be better captured and analyzed by a woman, according to the cultural context."
Alma Carolina Rivera – International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
"It is time to forget all the misconceptions around what a woman can or cannot do. Women should be involved in every discipline of science and in an equal way to men."
Harriet Kasidi Mugera – World Bank
"Women remain key in agriculture in most societies, especially in Africa, and have a greater incentive to use the data to inform policy and improve the livelihoods of other women practicing agriculture."
Fridah Nyakundi – Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT
"My advice to women interested in data science is that they should set audacious goals and not look back. There is room for them here."
Paula Andrea Paz – Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT
"It is really amazing working in this field. It doesn’t matter if you are a woman or a man. We are just at the beginning of what computational sciences could achieve."
Ulrike Wood-Sichra – International Food Policy Research Institute
"If more women were involved in the data collection, methodology, and processing, our attention would automatically focus more on women’s issues and contributions in development and agriculture, and more gender-specific data would become the norm."
