CGIAR Gender News

South Asia women in agriculture during COVID-19

Women cultivating plants

While COVID-19 pandemic has affected the livelihoods of billions worldwide, the economic fallout of the crisis is being acutely felt by women whose jobs are more likely to be temporary and part-time than their male counterparts. As the extended shutdowns slow economies, women are bearing the brunt of layoffs and job losses, particularly in South Asia where women account for more than half the agricultural workforce vis-à-vis the global average of 26%.