By Vilisi Veibataki

Markets for Change Project Manager

UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji

On 15 October, the world celebrates International Day of Rural Women under the theme ‘Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All’ - dedicated to the essential contribution rural women make in enhancing agricultural and food security, improving nutrition and strengthening resilience.  

In the Pacific, women are at the center of rural life, their contributions not only vital for local food systems, but for achieving broader development goals such as poverty reduction, gender equality, and climate resilience. In collaboration with governments across the Pacific, development partners and civil society organizations, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has been a key player in empowering rural women to lead in these efforts.  

Rural women are the Pacific’s primary producers; they grow, harvest, and process much of the food consumed by their families and communities, including traditional crops like taro, cassava, yams, and fruits. Beyond subsistence farming, rural women also contribute to local markets, selling produce and handmade goods, handicrafts or artefacts that sustain the economic lifeline for their households.

Yet, the challenges rural women face are many. They have restricted access to land ownership, financial services, agricultural technologies and markets – the sum of which continue to limit their full potential. This is compounded by the effects of climate change such as sea level rise, increased extreme weather events and degraded soil, given their dependence on our region’s natural resources for their livelihoods.

Despite these challenges, our rural women have shown great resilience in the face of these difficulties. They are innovators, environmental stewards, and leaders in their communities who ensure nutritious food is available to their families while protecting the environment for generations to come.

UNDP Pacific Office has been working with governments, development partners and rural communities to address these challenges faced by rural women.

Cultivating Good for All

In the Pacific, where geographical remoteness and public transportation from and between rural communities often present as a challenge, rural women are further isolated when it comes to entering markets to trade or sell their organic foods and handcrafts. In response to this need, UNDP in partnership with UN Women and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, implement the Markets for Change program, which focuses on empowering rural women in local markets in Fiji, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.

The initiative strengthens the systems of these markets; thus, making it a safer and more inclusive space for women. Additionally, it provides women with access to financial services, enabling them to expand their businesses and improve their economic livelihoods.

Through the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme – supported by the United Nations Capital Development Fund, we are seeing rural women gain the financial literacy skills and capital they need to invest in small scale farming. This, in turn, opens the door for new financing opportunities, which the region’s women use to buy high-yielding seeds, better tools, and equipment.  

The Importance of Women in Leadership  

UNDP recognizes that for rural women to truly thrive, they need a seat at the decision-making table. In many Pacific communities, traditional gender divisions prevent women from being involved in community governance.

As part of its work to foster the political participation and representation of women, UNDP has rolled out programmes that support women’s leadership in local governance and food security planning, such as the recent Women’s Practice Parliament in Fiji – supported by the governments and people of Australia, Japan and New Zealand.  

Through this program, women were trained in leadership, advocacy, and negotiation skills, empowering them to champion policies that improve food security, access to land, and sustainable agriculture. By elevating women’s voices in these areas, communities become more resilient, equitable, and sustainable.

Climate change represents a major threat to food security in the Pacific, particularly among rural women upon whom family sustenance rely heavily on agriculture. UNDP's Climate resilience programmes help rural women to overcome this by providing them with the means required to adjust flexibly for changing conditions. This support ranges from establishing localized disaster risk reduction mechanisms, switching to renewable energy for agriculture and developing climate resilient infrastructure.  

An Investment in Shaping Tomorrow

It is essential that we recognize the invaluable contributions of rural women in the Pacific.

We need their resilience, innovation and leadership to enhance food security, work towards a sustainable agriculture sector, and build resilient communities. UNDP empowers rural women to continue cultivating good food for all, creating a future where communities are healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable.

Looking forward, the imperative is evident — investing in rural women isn't just an investment in food security, it is imperative should we wish to shape a resilient future for our Blue Pacific. 

Thank you to all the hardworking rural women whose efforts nourish, sustain and inspire us all.