Addressing Land and Equity Barriers for Women Farmers
An estimated 500 million smallholder farmers operate worldwide, and women make up a significant share of this population. In many African countries, women account for more than half of the agricultural labor force, with participation reaching 76.4% in Malawi and 81.2% in Uganda.
Despite their widespread involvement and essential contributions, women smallholder farmers often face systemic barriers and receive limited support due to persistent gender inequities.
A newly released book, Women and smallholder farming: Addressing inequities in agriculture, seeks to spotlight the experiences of women farmers while drawing attention to the challenges they face daily.
The book is edited by two prominent experts in gender and agriculture: Professor Emerita Carlolyn Sachs of The Pennsylvania State University and Dr Paige Castellanos of Oxfam America.
More than 50 researchers from 20 countries, including Vietnam, Colombia, Kenya, and Uganda, contributed research and firsthand accounts from women farmers. Their findings reveal common obstacles such as limited access to markets and education, restricted property and asset ownership, and minimal decision-making authority.
“This is a valuable contribution to the important topic of women smallholder farmers,” says Dr Ruth Meinzen-Dick, International Food Policy Research Institute, USA.
Land ownership and secure tenure are especially critical for women farmers, yet ownership is often tied to marital status or male relatives. Even where joint land registration laws exist, such as Rwanda’s National Land Registration Program, women frequently lack control over land use.
“Understanding women’s and men’s rights to use and manage land and to make decisions about agricultural earnings is key for developing interventions that sustainably increase agricultural productivity and increase women’s economic empowerment,” says Krista Jacobs, Landesa, USA.
Public and private institutions play a vital role in advancing gender equity. Initiatives like Australia’s Invisible Farmer project and fairtrade programs in beverage crop industries demonstrate how targeted policies and market-based approaches can help recognize women’s contributions and promote sustainable agricultural development worldwide.
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