Investing in women farmers promises to yield a double dividend: better food security and greater economic growth. More than three decades of work on women and agriculture at the International Center for Research on Women suggests that improving women's access to resources, technology, markets and property rights will increase farm productivity, raise income and improve household nutrition.

From fetching water and feeding livestock to sowing crops and selling vegetables, women's contributions to agriculture are innumerable. But they often go unrecognized, and few of the world's women farmers are paid for their labor. Meanwhile, their ability to own land, access credit and buy farm equipment--all of which help them be economically successful--is limited.

But there is a way forward. For instance, by giving women the ability to have their own savings accounts, they are better poised to buy valuable resources such as seeds and fertilizer to increase their agricultural productivity. And by including women in agricultural training programs, they can learn innovative farming techniques that save time and money.

ICRW researches women's contributions as well as obstacles that prevent them from being able to fully participate in the economy and society. They use their research to create a path of action that honors womens human rights, ensures gender equality and creates the conditions in which all women can thrive. To learn more about the International Center for Research on Women, visiticrw.org.