Empowering women holds the greatest potential to make significant impacts in agricultural development.

AWARE is built on the belief that focusing on women in agriculture as an underserved majority will improve food security, reduce poverty, and positively impact rural development in developing countries. 

Through AWARE, we believe that Cornell is leading the growing recognition within U.S. educational and agricultural development institutions that women are the key to solving global agricultural challenges. We strive to bring gender responsiveness to all activities in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, from curricula to research projects to university policy, leveraging impact in the developing world to particularly serve women farmers and improve their families’ livelihoods.

AWARE activities include:

  • Representing Global Development’s commitment to gender equity
  • Developing and implementing gender initiatives in current and future proposals and funded activities
  • Integrating gender issues in the courses and academic initiatives of Global Development
  • Curating a gender-focused library that is freely accessible to the Cornell community
  • Disseminating information on lectures, conferences, and events related to gender in agriculture
  • Promoting the participation of researchers committed to women's leadership training initiatives
Women walk through a field

Support graduate students to conduct international research on topics in gender in agriculture with up to $2,500 in funding per awardee.

A woman stands in a food stall

Disseminated globally, featuring news, resources and opportunities pertaining to gender and agricultural development

Woman walks in field in Middle East

Curated gender and agricultural development resources, sourced from our weekly AWARE Newsletter

AWARE receives partial funding from Global Development at Cornell University; the CALS Dean’s Office; and an endowment from W.R. Coffman, director of International Programs at CALS.