Presenter: Patricia Biermayr-Jenzano is an agricultural specialist and a social scientist, specializing in the evaluation of projects and programs in gender, food security and food systems. She has a doctorate in agriculture and social anthropology (Ph.D.), and a master of science (M.S.) in agricultural extension, both from Cornell University in New York, and an agricultural engineering degree from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her work has deep roots in qualitative and participatory research, as well as incorporating a gender perspective into agriculture and environmental conservation efforts. She has served as the Gender Coordinator for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) projects in Latin America, as the leader of the Participatory Research and Gender Analysis Program at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Cali, Colombia and has performed as a consultant to the World Bank, the United Nations Organization for Agriculture (FAO), and the International Food Policy Institute (IFPRI) in Washington, D.C., among other development and research organizations. She is currently a Sr. Academic Advisor and Adjunct Professor for CLAS and the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Abstract: This research focused on Food Systems Transformation and on Indigenous Food Systems across Latin America’s geographic regions. We conducted a deep review of the literature about rural and urban food systems and how this discipline has evolved from the results presented during the UN Food Systems Summit 2023 (FSS) in New York. The role of women along with a comprehensive gender analysis was a central part of this research. A tangible outcome from this study includes the determination of existing patterns of food production and women’s involvement in some selected value chain of valuable agricultural commodities (from quinoa in the Andes, cassava in the Caribbean and a selection of profitable crops region wide) and an extensive repository of sources. To conduct this work we relied primarily on relevant existing data sources from FAO, HLPE-World Food Committee, the Food Systems Dashboard and the White/Wiphala paper showcasing the role of Indigenous Women to determine potential trends of development and needed changes in the global food system contributing to resilience and sustainability.