African women and agricultural Development

Week 11

Objectives

To discuss the role of women in agricultural development

Explain some of the barriers for women’s participation in agricultural development

Identify some organization assisting women in agricultural development

Discuss the role of governments in women’s participation in agricultural development efforts.

introduction Women farmers are the pillars of African agriculture.

According to the UN FAO two thirds of all women in Africa are employed in the agricultural sector and

produce nearly 90 percent of food on the continent.

They are responsible for growing, selling, buying and preparing food for their families.

Yet even as the guardians of food security, they are still marginalized in business relations and

have minimal control over access to resources such as land, inputs such as improved seeds and fertilizer, credit and technology.

The roles of Women in Development

Approximately 66 percent of rural residents are women

This indicates the central roles of rural women in agriculture

And the necessity to securing their participation in agricultural development efforts

Women need to be recognized as farmers in their own right.

The migrant labor system has served to supplement rural incomes

but it has also resulted in a high number of female-headed households Seasonal labor shortages Increased workload for women

The roles of Women in development…..

This provide women with great influence over household and farm decision making

Their access to and control over household resources remains marginal

Decline in formal employment opportunities has a significant negative effect of cash remittances

Which contribute on average to 10 percent of communal farmer’s household incomes

The low productivity of subsistence agriculture and the lack of alternative employment opportunities leads to

Food insecurity for many households Increased dependency of rural households on social security benefits

The role of Women in development…(3)

Social changes and economic marginalization not affect female-headed households

but have worsens the living standards of other vulnerable groups such as:

Landless, unemployed youth The elderly Farm laborers

African Governments efforts and Women

Most governments acknowledge the constraints and discriminatory practices facing many

female-headed households and the youth in rural areas

The role of women in agricultural development has been re-emphasized

Their participation in agricultural organization and related institutions has been assured

The existing social norms and values relating to women and gender discrimination has been changed in many constitution on the African continent.

Women are being assisted in overcoming constraints to their participation in development efforts.

Development constraints for women

Women need to be assisted in overcoming constraints to their participation in development efforts related to the following:

Lack of knowledge

Limited access to land

Lack of security of tenure

Discriminatory laws

Shortages of labor

Poor access to services and finance

Challenges for African Women

A combination of logistical, cultural, and economic factors, coupled with a lack of gender statistics in the agricultural sector,

mean that agricultural programs are rarely designed with women’s needs in mind.

As a result, African women farmers have no voice in the development of agricultural policies designed to improve their productivity.

Challenges for African Women…. Engagement in policy processes is reserved for government and

the literate,

but literacy levels are as low as 40 percent in some African countries.

In Malawi female literacy is at a low of 49.8 percent and in Mozambique it is even lower at 32.7 percent.

Africa has an oral culture and yet we do not talk enough – at local, national or regional levels.

The dialogue concerning agricultural issues is happening at the international level,

where a few speak for the majority, and not on behalf of the majority.

Program for Women AWARD:

African Women in Agricultural Research and Development

It is a professional development program that strengthens the research and leadership skills of African women in agricultural science,

empowering them to contribute more effectively to poverty alleviation and food security in sub-Saharan Africa.

AWARD offers two-year fellowships focused on mentoring partnerships, science skills, and Leadership development

AWARD

60 outstanding women agricultural scientists from 10 African countries received the fellowship

A project of the CGIAR’s Gender & Diversity Program,

AWARD is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID

AWARD is striving to create such conditions by empowering the continent’s women who are best poised to bring about long term solutions.

AWARD….

Recent stats reveal that 80 percent of Africa’s farmers are women

80 to 90 percent of Africa’s food is produced by women.

Yet, according to AWARD Director Vicki Wilde,

only 5 percent of agricultural extension and 10 percent of rural credit reaches women.

Part of the reason this longstanding situation has not changed is because

women comprise only 25 percent of the agricultural R&D talent pool and very few hold positions of leadership.

Women Agricultural Professionals…

Recent research conducted by AWARD and Agricultural Science and Technology (ASTI) in 15 African countries shows that between 2000 and 2008, the number of African women professionals employed in the

agricultural sciences grew by 8 percent per year,

while the number of African men grew by 2 percent per year.

However, women still represent less than one quarter of Africa’s scientists holding positions in institutions of agricultural research,

and less than one in seven (14 percent) leadership positions is held by a woman.

USAID Funding USAID availed funds to the Gender & Diversity Program (G&D) of

the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)

for an evaluation of the activities it has supported

under two fellowship programs geared towards enhancing the science capacity and leadership skills of African women agricultural scientists.

Norman E. Borlaug International AgriculturalScience and Technology Fellows Program

Norman E. Borlaug International AgriculturalScience and Technology Fellows Program

USAID has provided funding since September 2005 to support the Africa Women in Science (WIS) component of USDA.

This component pairs African women agricultural scientists with Mentors at US universities for a period of about four to six weeks

to conduct collaborative research on a topic of mutual interest.

Funds designated by USAID to support 35 Africa WIS Borlaug fellowships.

A follow up visit by the Mentor to the fellow’s home country is also part of the standard Borlaug fellowship

Norman E. Borlaug International AgriculturalScience and Technology Fellows Program….

In addition, at USAID’s request, G&D’s women’s leadership and management course and G&D’s electronic networking have been added to this component of the Borlaug Fellows program.

Since 2005 a total of fifteen of the proposed 35 Africa WIS Borlaug Fellows have participated in some aspect of the WIS fellowship program.

Detailed information about the WIS component and the complete Borlaug fellowship program is available at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/icd/borlaug/borlaug.htm.

G&D Rockefeller fellowship program Launched in 2005 with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Syngenta

Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture,

a pilot fellowship program to enhance the careers of East African women crop scientists from the

Kenyan, Tanzanian and Ugandan NARS

providing formal mentoring by a senior scientist as well as leadership and negotiations training and electronic networking with women in science worldwide.

The funds also allow the fellows to attend two international science conferences during their two year fellowship program and

to practice their leadership skills by mentoring a junior woman scientist from within or outside their own institution during their second year,

thus expanding the benefits of the program to more individuals and including more institutions.

More information on the program is available at: http://www.genderdiversity.cgiar.org/resource/women_fellowhips.asp.

Women advancement in Agricultural development

Agricultural development and growth in rural areas depends upon having reliable and timely access to essential services such as:

Extension advice Research results and recommendations, Credit for women Farm inputs for women Veterinary care services in rural areas Quarantine facilities Domestic marketing and export facilities Market information services

The provision of these services requires to reduce the structural imbalances for women.

Government solution Should provide a favorable

political environment Enabling economic policies Incentives to encourage the private sector to invest in agriculture Provide essential agricultural development services in the most

efficient and profitable manner Strengthen relationships and cooperation with regional and

international institutions involved in agriculture Technology and skills transfer to ensure self-reliance and

sustainability of the agricultural sector in the long run. Use donor assistance effectively and efficiently to pursue goals and

objectives of women participation in agricultural development. The governments should ensure transparent use of donor’s

assistance and full accountability.

Summary Women should be supported in developmental agenda

African governments should ensure that policies formulated allow women participation

Governments should acknowledge the constraints and discriminatory practices facing many female-headed households in rural areas and act on these constraints

Governments should be effective and efficient in using donor funding for agricultural development

Values and norms relating to women and gender discrimination must be changed

Women must be assisted in overcoming constraints to their participation in development efforts.

Quiz Questions1. What is the percent of women involved in agriculture in Africa and how much do they account

for food production? [5 points]2. What are some of problem associated with migrant labor systems? [10 points]3. What are the problem associated with low agricultural productivity of subsistence farming and

lack of alternative employment in rural areas? [5 points]4. Name and use examples of how social changes and economic marginalization affects

households? [20 points]5. Name and explain some of the major constraints for African women regarding agricultural

development? [20 points]6. What does AWARD stands for? Briefly, outlines it work. [10 points]7. Has the number of African women professionals increased? Justify your answer.[10 points]8. What is the relationship between the Norman E. Borlaug and WIS? [20 points]9. What is the G&D Rockefeller Fellowship Program? [10 points]10. What are the essential services needed for women to advance in agricultural development?

[10 points]11. What roles should governments play to achieve these essential services? [20 points]