empowering rural women in the agricultural sector
Topic: Bridging the inequality gap in women in agriculture. Development, food security and poverty alleviation will only be achieved through agricultural growth. Women farmers continue to being marginalised members of the rural development community.
Executive summary
Rural women farmers must be recognised and must be greatly appreciated. Women have tangible contributions to rural development, agriculture and food.
Household food and nutrition security depends mostly on rural food production and this contributes greatly to poverty alleviation. Sustainable production of food is the principal step to achieving food security. The women play the role of overcoming the challenges agricultural production and development. The importance and significance of women in the agricultural sector hence cannot be over emphasized. Unfortunately, in the country women farmers are in the midst of the abandoned, especially when it comes to shaping policies in agriculture. These policies are directed at growing food security and food production, have a tendency to, underestimate and completely ignore the role of women in overall decision-making process within the household and production.
Introduction
It is a reality that rural women, more than the male, are in the forefront in agricultural activities, as they make up to 60-80 present of labour force.
The irony is that women’s contributions to agriculture and rural development are rarely seen. Additionally, women have minimum or less part in the processes of decision-making concerning agricultural development. Gender inequality is therefore influential amongst the agricultural sector and this will suppress development in South Africa. Women’s main responsibility is food security in the African continent. Development organisations and institutions have ignored the fact that they should research the effect and of their current agricultural policies and new practises on the lives and welfare women farmers in Africa. (Ongulela &
Executive summary
Rural women farmers must be recognised and must be greatly appreciated. Women have tangible contributions to rural development, agriculture and food.
Household food and nutrition security depends mostly on rural food production and this contributes greatly to poverty alleviation. Sustainable production of food is the principal step to achieving food security. The women play the role of overcoming the challenges agricultural production and development. The importance and significance of women in the agricultural sector hence cannot be over emphasized. Unfortunately, in the country women farmers are in the midst of the abandoned, especially when it comes to shaping policies in agriculture. These policies are directed at growing food security and food production, have a tendency to, underestimate and completely ignore the role of women in overall decision-making process within the household and production.
Introduction
It is a reality that rural women, more than the male, are in the forefront in agricultural activities, as they make up to 60-80 present of labour force.
The irony is that women’s contributions to agriculture and rural development are rarely seen. Additionally, women have minimum or less part in the processes of decision-making concerning agricultural development. Gender inequality is therefore influential amongst the agricultural sector and this will suppress development in South Africa. Women’s main responsibility is food security in the African continent. Development organisations and institutions have ignored the fact that they should research the effect and of their current agricultural policies and new practises on the lives and welfare women farmers in Africa. (Ongulela &
References: Department the Presidency: Republic of South Africa (2030) the National Development Plan National Development Plan (2011) Vision for 2030 Republic of South Africa (2009) Millennium Development Goals country Report 2010: The third issue in 13 August 2009 Ogunlela, Y Nkhorera, C. (2011). THE ROLE OF WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT ON AGRICULTURAL: DEVELOPMENT IN MALAWI. WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE, Closing the gender gap for development Oyeranti, O. (2005). POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES FOR POVERTY REDUCTION. An Interim Research Report Submitted to the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), Nairobi for the Second Phase Collaborative Poverty Research Project. Prakash, D. (2003). RURAL WOMEN, FOOD SECURITY AND AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES, [online], available: http://www.uwcc.wisc.edu/info/intl/rur_women.pdf. [12 august 2014] Egbetunde, T