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Women in agriculture: closing the gender gap
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Rome, 10 October 2013
Gender roles for better food security and nutrition
• Women make essential contributions to food production, processing, marketing and retailing.
• They contribute as farmers, workers, entrepreneurs, and agents of change
• Women traditionally bear the primary responsibility for preparing meals and caring for children and other family members.
• They provide the bulk of care work in rural areas, often without pay
0
10
20
30
40
50
60Fe
mal
e sh
are
of a
gric
ultu
ral
labo
r for
ce (%
)
East and Southeast Asia Latin America and the Caribbean
Near East and North Africa South Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
Female share of the agricultural labour force
Source. FAOSTAT. Note: The agricultural labour force includes people who are working or looking for work in formal or informal jobs and in paid and or unpaid employment in agriculture. That includes self-employed women as well as women working on family farms. It does not include domestic chores such as fetching water and firewood, preparing food and caring for children and other family members.
Fewer women are land holders
Oceania
North Africa and West Asia
South Asia and South East Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
Latin America and the Caribbean
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Female Male
Percentage
And women typically operate smaller farms...
Milk
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Malawi Madagascar
Ghana
Viet NamTajikistan Pakistan
Nepal Indonesia
Bangladesh
Panama Nicaragua
Guatemala Ecuador
Bolivia
Average farm size (ha)
Female-headed households
and use less fertilizer.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Nigeria Malawi
Madagascar Ghana
Viet NamTajikistan
PakistanNepal
Bangladesh
Panama Nicaragua
Guatemala Ecuador
Bolivia
Percentage of households using fertilizers )
Male-headed households Female-headed households
Gender gaps in productivity disappear when access to productive inputs is equalized
Source: WDR 2012
• When women have the same access to assets, productive resources, and opportunities, as men, the productivity gaps reduce
Broader social and economic benefits include:
• Women’s income and bargaining power within the family is linked to improved health, nutrition and education outcomes for children.
• Improved gender equality has a long lasting impact on economic growth by raising human capital in society.
Gains from closing the gender gap for women farmers
• Be aware that policies and institutions affect men and women differently
• Provide rural services and technologies to free-up women’s time
• Improve market access and putting income in women’s hands
• Provide nutrition education and building on women’s knowledge
• Food system interventions must consider women’s and men’s differentiated needs, opportunities and constraints
Policies can make a difference
Susan Kaaria, Senior Officer,Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division
