This issue of Insights shows how development policy and practice can potentially improve food security while supporting women’s empowerment. They can focus on women’s critical role as food producers, consumers and family carers, while transforming gender norms and inequalities within households and communities.

There is no one size fits all approach to achieving these outcomes, but it is vital to ensure that food security interventions:

• are informed by both women and men at the local level in their design and implementationare
• are tailored to specific contexts, given the often vast disparities in experience, needs and gender roles within countries and regions
• take into account and respect women’s instrumental role in food production
• involve women and men equally in decision-making around food production consumption and distribution

Articles included

• Editorial: Sweetman, C.The Gender Gap for Development (The State of Food and Agriculture 2010-2011)
• Transforming gender relations in homestead food production in Bangladesh: Hillenbrand, E.
• Challenging cultural values that affect food security in India: Neogy, S.
• Equal access for women to seeds and food security in Syria: Galié, A.
• Engaging the whole family in food security planning in Zambia: Farnworth, C.R.
• Women's groups versus households: Approaches to achieve food security and gender equality: Agnes Quisumbing, A. and Kumar
• Food sovereignty and women’s rights in Latin America: Caro, P.

All editions of Insights can be downloaded from Eldis, part of IDS Knowledge Services.