The Work We Do - Ep2. Women and Youth in Agrifood Systems. Lauren Phillips

In this episode of The Work We Do, we speak with Lauren Phillips, Director of Partnerships and UN Collaboration at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, about why women and youth are central to the transformation of agrifood systems. The conversation draws on FAO's flagship reports to examine women's roles across agrifood systems, persistent gaps in access to land, finance, and opportunities, and why progress remains uneven despite decades of policy reform. We discuss the International Year of the Woman Farmer, youth participation in policymaking and the global challenge of youth unemployment, including why young women are disproportionately affected. The episode also explores the financing gap in agrifood systems and the economic case for investing in women and youth as drivers of inclusive growth, resilience, and food security. Key reports discussed in this episode: -              The Status of Women in Agrifood Systems (2023) https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cc5343en/ -              The Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems (2025) https://www.fao.org/3/cd5619en/online/cd5619en.html -              The Unjust Climate (2024) https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cc9680en -              Financing Food for a Better Future (2025) https://openknowledge.fao.org/items/e279d507-3ac2-4f0b-a775-9937d97976b8