Arab Women Organization Participates in Webinar on Digital Rural Extension Services
4/9/2026
Represented by Ms. Fatma Fawzi, the Arab Women Organization (AWO) participated on April 8, 2026, in a regional webinar focused on scaling up Digital Rural Extension Services across the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region. The event was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Arab Forum for Rural Extension Services (AFRAS).
During her intervention, Ms. Fawzi highlighted the AWO’s pioneering role in enhancing rural women’s access to digital extension services. She emphasized the organization’s capacity-building programs, which focus on e-marketing, agricultural entrepreneurship, and rural development, while integrating critical concepts of climate change adaptation and the green economy.
A key highlight of the presentation was the "Sanabel" digital platform, an AWO initiative designed to bridge the gap between rural female producers and regional markets. Ms. Fawzi stressed that for such digital tools to be effective, they must be inclusive, user-friendly, and specifically tailored to meet the needs of women.
Furthermore, she underscored the importance of the Training of Trainers (TOT) programs as a sustainable model for knowledge transfer within rural communities. "The success of digital extension services depends on their accessibility and usability for the most vulnerable groups," Fawzi stated. She concluded by calling for robust partnerships and sustainable technical and financial support to ensure the long-term impact and wider reach of these digital initiatives.