UfM Regional Task Force on Innovation for Women in Agro-Food Value Chains Holds First Meeting
Online, 4 June 2026 – The first meeting of the UfM Regional Task Force on Innovation for Women in Agro-Food Value Chains brought together 25 representatives from regional and international organisations, development partners, and technical institutions to officially launch a new coordination mechanism supporting innovation and women’s economic empowerment in agro-food across the Euro-Mediterranean region.
Established by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in partnership with CIHEAM, FAO and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the Regional Task Force counts with the active membership of CGIAR, BETA Technological Centre, Berytech Foundation, PRIMA, AUC CEI, CAWTAR, and MEDWAVES. It will serve as a technical advisory and coordination platform to support the development and implementation of the forthcoming Regional Policy Agenda 2026-2030 on Innovation for Women in Agro-Food Value Chains, its associated Roadmap, and the 2027 Action Plan. It will build up on the results of the SFS –Med Knowledge hub. The initiative also contributes to preparations for the Regional Policy Conference on Women Entrepreneurs in Agri-Food, scheduled to take place on 28-29 October 2026 in Tunis, Tunisia. The event will serve as a key milestone for advancing policy dialogue, knowledge exchange and regional cooperation on women’s economic empowerment in the agro-food sector.
The launch of the Task Force builds on a series of regional processes and commitments such as the Cairo event on women’s innovation and entrepreneurship in agri-food supply chains organised in October 2025, as well as the broader framework of the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.
During its First Meeting, the Task Force participants discussed the proposed methodology by the technical experts for the development of the Regional Policy Agenda, including a regional mapping exercise that will analyse existing initiatives, challenges, opportunities and good practices across the Euro-Mediterranean region within the agro-food field. The mapping process will be complemented by stakeholder consultations and interviews to ensure that the policy framework reflects regional needs and experiences.
The discussion highlighted a number of priority areas for future action, including access to innovation ecosystems, finance, technology, skills development, markets and policy support. Participants exchanged views on the importance of strengthening cooperation among public institutions, international organisations, academia, innovation actors, civil society and the private sector, and discussed possible criteria for expanding the membership of the Task Force to additional stakeholders.
Participants also agreed on the need to develop a baseline mapping exercise integrating a gender-responsive approach to the analysis of existing initiatives on innovation and entrepreneurship. This mapping will support the establishment of a clear regional monitoring framework aimed at better mobilising private sector actors around access to innovation and finance. It will also seek to leverage relevant regional programmes, such as INTERREG NEXT MED, and draw on good practices from outside the region, including experiences from Africa and South America.
Beyond its official launch and presentation at the Regional Policy Conference in Tunis on 28–29 October, the Regional Agenda on Innovation for Women Entrepreneurs in Agro-Food Valu will also be presented at the CIHEAM Ministerial Meeting in Rome on 16 November, as well as at the UfM Regional Platform on Women’s Empowerment physical meeting in Barcelona on 24 November.
The meeting concluded with agreement on the overall workplan, timeline and next steps. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to working together towards a more inclusive, innovative and sustainable agro-food sector across the Euro-Mediterranean region.
