The Graduate Institute welcomes research partners Prof. Tsikata Dzodzi, University of Ghana, and Suon Seng, Centre for Development Oriented Research in Agriculture and Livelihood Systems, Cambodia, on Monday 16th March to launch a research programme on Land Commercialization, Gendered Agrarian Transformation and the Right to Food.

DEMETER (Droits et Egalité pour une Meillleure Économie de la Terre) a 6-year project aims to empower women and men to claim the right to food in the face of intensified pressure on land.

Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (FNS) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) within their joint Swiss programme for research on global issues for development (r4d), and housed in the Graduate Institute's Programme on Gender and Global Change (PGGC), the CHF 3 million programme of research seeks outcomes that will strengthen communities, civil society, governments and the private sector to integrate the right to food and gender equality approaches to enhance food security. Today more than 800 million people are food insecure, of which 70% are women and girls. Mitigating inequalities and strengthening resilience are adaptive strategies during agrarian transitions.

The kick-off begins with a keynote presentation from academic, food activist, and member of the DEMETER advisory board, Professor Jun Borras (Institute for Social Studies, University of Rotterdam) in discussion with Fabrice Fretz from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Ana-Maria Suarez from FIAN International.

Attendance and participation at the keynote address between 12:15-14:00 is open to all. The event takes place in auditorium A1 B on Monday 16th March.

For further information and to register to keynote presentation and opening cocktail.