2024 Report on Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation released

BEIJING, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A video presented by China.org.cn on the release of a report, highlighting women's innovation and entrepreneurship in boosting rural transformation with science and technology.

On Nov. 22, 2024, the 2024 Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation Thematic Report: HER Power, HER Stories was released at an international forum held in Beijing, highlighting women's innovation and entrepreneurship.

This year's forum, Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation – 3rd Event, focused on women's empowerment and the contributions they make, challenges they face, and future opportunities they may have with regard to the application of science and technology to agriculture.

The event brought together representatives from social organizations, research institutions, enterprises, government bodies, UN agencies, and other international organizations as well as women entrepreneurs and scholars working in rural areas. It was co-hosted by the China Internet Information Center (CIIC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representation in China, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) China Office, the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP-CSAM), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in China.

"The 2030 Agenda cannot be fully realized without the active and equal participation of women in all aspects of society," stated Siddharth Chatterjee, UN resident coordinator in China, in a pre-recorded video message during the event's opening ceremony. "And it is up to us to challenge this trend [of unequal participation] by engaging women more proactively in shaping the economy, society and the environment. China's progress in rural digital infrastructure, gender-friendly agricultural innovations, improving women's working conditions in rural areas, and increasing female farmers' scientific and digital literacy offers a valuable insight for other developing countries."

"The China Internet Information Center has always placed special emphasis on the pivotal role of women in rural vitalization," Zheng Wenhua, deputy head of the CIIC, noted in one of the event's opening speeches. "The CIIC highlights the achievements of Chinese women in driving rural progress and shares their insights, experiences, and inspiring stories with the world using our comprehensive, multilingual, multi-platform media capabilities."

"Currently, around 250 million women aged 16 to 70 are engaged in production and business activities in China's rural areas," Zeng Liying, president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade's Grain Industry Sub-Council and former deputy director of China's National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, pointed out in her opening remarks. "Their contributions go beyond agricultural production; they play an active role in decision-making and managing village affairs while helping to drive the growth of rural tourism, services, and characteristic local industries."

Zeng also observed that women's active involvement in rural vitalization is a complex, long-term undertaking and reaffirmed the Grain Industry Sub-Council's commitment to fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders so as to form a united front in pursuing this shared objective.

"Advancement of agricultural technology has played a positive role in promoting Chinese women's involvement in agricultural production and rural development," Yang Li, deputy director and research fellow, Rule of Law Development Research Office, Rural Economy Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, said in her keynote speech.

She stated that China's main approaches in this area include: 1) Providing women with agricultural science and technology education and training in order to enhance their technological skills and literacy. 2) Offering support with modern agricultural technologies, such as smart agricultural equipment, agricultural information systems, and biotechnology for the purpose of improving agricultural productivity. 3) Ensuring that women have equal access to agricultural resources, such as land, funding, seed, and fertilizer so as to support their participation in agricultural production. 4) Formulating and implementing policies that facilitate women's involvement in agricultural science and technology, supporting them in agricultural innovation, and providing an enabling environment for research and development. 5) Assisting women in establishing market connections and improving their product sales capabilities, including support in market information, sales channels and brand building. 6) Encouraging women to establish and participate in agricultural cooperatives and farmers' organizations in order to enhance their bargaining power and market competitiveness through collective action. 7) Promoting women's participation in agricultural science and technology innovation and research, leveraging their creativity and innovative capabilities.

"In China's recent national review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action [a landmark global agenda for gender equality and women's empowerment that was unanimously adopted by 189 countries at the UN's 1995 World Conference on Women, which was held in Beijing], it also emphasized the importance of narrowing the gaps in development between urban and rural areas and strengthening innovation-drive growth to empower women's comprehensive development," remarked Wang Chu Q, head of Partnerships of UN Women China, in his keynote speech. "Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. We have a unique moment in history to reaffirm our commitments and accelerate our actions toward gender equality and women's empowerment while contributing to the achievement of multiple SDGs."

"The 2023 FAO report titled 'The Status of Women in Agrifood Systems' highlights that globally, 36% of working women and 38% of working men are employed in agrifood systems," observed Han Yan, assistant representative of the FAO Representation in China. "Women are a vital force in agricultural and rural development, yet still face barriers and challenges with unequal access to resources, services, decent employment and markets. China's innovative efforts in leveraging agricultural science and technology to empower women have made significant contributions to achieving the global goals, including poverty eradication and hunger elimination."

The forum also saw the release of a significant document titled "2024 Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation Thematic Report: HER Power, HER Stories." This report was a collaborative effort by the FAO Representation in China, the IFAD China Office, the ESCAP-CSAM, the UNDP in China, and the CIIC. The report delineates various challenges encountered in empowering rural women through science and technology and indicates that China has created an effective institutional environment that facilitates women's active participation in agricultural development and that this is a primary factor that enables technology to empower Chinese women.

"By showcasing women's leadership and contributions in female role models in science and technology, the report emphasizes the transformative power women hold in driving rural development," noted Siddharth Chatterjee. "As more young girls pursue STEM degrees and more women take on leadership roles in fields like artificial intelligence, data, and IT, and science and technology, the sector will increasingly champion gender equality. These shifts will lead to profound changes across both the social and economic dimensions."

"'HER Power, HER Stories' provides a glimpse of the future by demonstrating what some women today have already achieved in agriculture," Robert Walker, British Academy of Social Sciences fellow and Jingshi Academy at Beijing Normal University foreign professor, commented. "Seventeen case studies introduce women who have embraced new technologies to realize their dreams in creating sustainable agriculture enterprises. Their success reminds us that traditional attitudes and power structures still inhibit the technological advance of millions of women worldwide."

"Today's event has provided a platform for informative, thought-provoking and forward-looking discussions," James George, UNDP deputy resident representative in China, stated in his closing remarks. "Working together we welcome all stakeholders to continue to build on success and progress made this far and double our efforts to strengthen women's engagement in science and technology, foster inclusive rural transformation, and ensure that no one is left behind in our journey toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in China."

2024 Report on Sci-Tech Empowering Rural Transformation released
http://en.chinagate.cn/2024-11/25/content_117567956.htm