Development works best when men and women have equal opportunities to improve their incomes and lead healthy and productive lives. But while women make up to 50 percent of the agricultural labor force in many developing countries, they tend to produce less than men because they are less likely to own land and face barriers to hiring labor, accessing credit, and utilizing training and extension services.

This gender gap in agriculture is a significant constraint to economic growth: If women had the same access to productive inputs as men do, they could increase their farm yields by 20-30 percent, an output that could reduce the number of hungry people in the world by up to 150 million.

That's why women's economic empowerment is a pillar of Feed the Future's strategy to reduce poverty, promote global stability and improve household nutrition and well-being. Feed the Future investments advance women's leadership in agriculture, promote policies that improve their opportunities to use and own land, and strengthen their access to financial services.

Across our programs, women farmers can find opportunities to adopt new agricultural technologies and information that can help them increase their productivity, reduce unpaid work and improve their family's nutrition.

As we approach International Women's Day, which celebrates women's achievements and calls the global community to action in advancing women's empowerment and well-being, Feed the Future highlights the many women around the world who are contributing to agricultural development and long-term global food security.

This month, the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) turns three years old. In 2014, after the WEAI was used to collect data in 13 Feed the Future focus countries, we released a baseline report that revealed some interesting findings about the constraints women face in the agriculture sector.