DODOMA, Aug. 12 -- Talk of agriculture in many rural communities, a seed is more than something planted in the soil. It can represent food, income, family health and the future of farming. For women, however, access to resources and opportunities has often been shaped by social and economic barriers that limit their participation in decisions affecting their families and communities.

This reality lies at the heart of Sustainable Development Goal 5, one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. The goals seek to build a world founded on equality, prosperity and sustainable development by 2030, with priorities covering People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership. Gender equality and the empowermen...