In this report, CAFOD has analysed a selection of World Bank agriculture programmes from 2024 to assess their approach to gender.
We found that they focused almost exclusively on promoting the commercial seed market and encouraging farmers to buy hybrid seeds and fertilisers. Yet they ignored the role of farmer-managed seed systems in enabling small-scale farmers to tackle poverty and enhance food security.
They also promoted changes to seed certification laws that have made it illegal for local communities to propagate, grow, exchange and sell their own seeds.
This research investigated the impact on women seed savers within a community in Busia County, Kenya, of the introduction of seed certification laws and regulations that effectively make farmer-managed seed systems illegal.
The global food system is broken. It doesn’t work for those who work the hardest – small farmers – and it’s a major driver of the climate emergency.
CAFOD's policy team provides briefings, reports and research on our advocacy and lobbying work, plus materials to support our campaigns.
