Investing in Rural Women Is Investing in Mexico’s Food Security

Every Oct. 15, the International Day of Rural Women invites us to recognize the contribution of millions of women who sustain a fundamental part of our food system. Beyond the commemoration itself, the occasion also offers an opportunity to reflect on an issue that is strategic for the country’s development: the role women play in the future of Mexican agriculture.

When food security is discussed, the conversation often focuses on water, productivity, innovation, or climate resilience. All of these are critical issues. Yet there is another equally decisive factor that rarely receives the attention it deserves: the female talent driving Mexico’s rural economy.

Their contribution to Mexico’s agrifood system is far greater than commonly recognized. According to Mexico’s National Population Council (CONAPO), 16.3 million women in the country live in rural communities, representing approximately 24.4%. They play a vital role in food production and the sustainability of local economies. Beyond their participation in agricultural and livestock activities, they are also key contributors to household food security and carry out a significant share of unpaid caregiving responsibilities.

In other words, a substantial portion of the food that reaches our tables every day depends directly or indirectly on women working as producers, farmworkers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders involved in planting, harvesting, processing, marketing, and distributing agricultural products. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), women produce between 60% and 80% of the food in many developing countries and account for approximately half of global food production.

This reality becomes even more relevant when viewed against the broader challenges facing global food systems. By 2050, the world’s population is expected to approach 10 billion people, and FAO estimates that food production will need to increase by nearly 60% to meet future demand. At the same time, agriculture is facing growing pressure from climate change, natural resource degradation, and water scarcity.

Mexico is no exception. The country will need to produce more food with fewer resources and under increasingly complex conditions. Achieving this goal will require fully leveraging the productive potential of everyone involved in agriculture.

Despite their economic importance, millions of women working in rural communities continue to face structural barriers that limit their ability to contribute even more to the country’s agricultural and economic development.

Data from CONEVAL and INMUJERES show that approximately 56.8% of women living in rural communities experience poverty. In many regions, roughly one in three still lacks access to basic services such as running water inside the home, while many households continue to rely on firewood for cooking, reflecting persistent inequalities in infrastructure and access to essential services.

Rural communities are also characterized by a higher presence of Indigenous populations. According to available data, 43.7% of women aged three and older living in rural areas identify as Indigenous, compared to 22.5% of women living in urban areas. 

Educational and economic gaps remain equally significant. According to INEGI and INMUJERES, the average level of schooling among women living in rural communities is just 7.3 years, below urban averages. This disparity limits access to better-paying jobs, specialized training, and the technologies that are increasingly essential in a modern and competitive agricultural sector.

The challenge, therefore, is not a lack of participation. Women are already indispensable to Mexico’s rural economy. The real issue is that they continue to operate below their productive potential because of barriers that limit access to opportunities, resources, and development tools.

Turning a Gap Into a Competitive Advantage

If Mexico aims to build a more productive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood system, one of the smartest investments it can make is in the women who power its rural economy.

The evidence is compelling. UN Women and FAO have found that if women had the same access to productive resources as men, agricultural yields could increase by 20% to 30%, significantly reducing hunger, rural poverty, and food insecurity. In a context of growing food demand, pressure on natural resources, and climate volatility, few strategies offer comparable potential impact:

• The first priority should be expanding access to technical training and knowledge transfer. The agriculture of the future will increasingly require skills related to sustainability, business management, digital agriculture, climate adaptation, and efficient resource use. Ensuring that more women have access to these capabilities will strengthen the competitiveness of the entire agrifood sector.
• A second priority is deepening financial inclusion. Access to credit, agricultural insurance, savings instruments, and productive financing does more than support individual projects; it strengthens entire local economies. Food security ultimately depends on producers’ ability to invest, innovate, and grow.
• Digitalization represents a third strategic opportunity. Bringing technological tools to rural communities can accelerate the adoption of best agricultural practices, improve market access, and reduce long-standing information gaps. Digital transformation should not be viewed solely as a technology agenda, but as a driver of economic development.
• Equally important is promoting female leadership in rural communities. Women are not only active participants in productive activities; they are entrepreneurs, business managers, community organizers, and problem-solvers. Strengthening their participation in decision-making spaces can accelerate innovation and territorial development.
• Finally, stronger collaboration among governments, the private sector, academia, and development organizations will be essential. Women in rural communities should be recognized not merely as beneficiaries of support programs, but as strategic economic actors. Inclusion should be understood as an investment capable of generating measurable returns in productivity, competitiveness, and food security.

Mexico has the talent, experience, and resources needed to build a more resilient and sustainable agrifood system. Achieving that goal, however, will require fully unlocking the potential of the millions of women who already play a central role in feeding the country.