The women rethinking rice farming

The women rethinking rice farming

From The Conversation by BBC World Service

April 20, 2026 · 26 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the role of women in rice farming and their efforts to adapt to climate change.

Rice nourishes 3.5 billion people worldwide with women providing the majority of agricultural labour – especially in poorer countries. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to women from India and Tanzania about their work improving the resilience of rice to climate change, and about the lives of female rice farmers. Ranjitha Puskur is a socio-economist in India leading gender and youth research at the International Rice Research Institute. She's working on innovations that would lead to more equitable outcomes for women in agriculture. She says there would be no food without women. And yet women farmers across the world still face disproportionate barriers in their work. Dr Pauline Chivenge is a Zimbabwean agronomist working in Tanzania. Her research is focused on management of natural resources for improved crop productivity in Africa and South-East Asia: issues such as soil and water management, and how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Produced by Jane Thurlow (Image: (L) Ranjitha Puskur. Credit CGIAR. (R) Pauline Chivenge. Credit IRRI)

People in this episode

Host: Datshiane Navanayagam

Guests: Ranjitha Puskur, Dr Pauline Chivenge

Topics covered

  • rice farming
  • women in agriculture
  • climate change
  • gender equity
  • crop productivity

Keywords

  • rice
  • women farmers
  • climate change
  • agriculture
  • gender research
  • crop management
  • food security

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: International Rice Research Institute

Places: India, Tanzania, Zimbabwe

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