Gender needs expressed in the State of Food and Agriculture

Report 2011

M. Ann Tutwiler Deputy Director General - Knowledge

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

ARDD Learning event Rio de Janeiro 18 June 2012

Women are a key resource in agriculture

0

20

40

60

80

100

Mal

es

Fem

ales

Mal

es

Fem

ales

Mal

es

Fem

ales

Mal

es

Fem

ales

Mal

es

Fem

ales

Mal

es

Fem

ales

Developing

countries

Sub-Saharan

Africa

Latin America

and the Caribbean

East and

Southeast Asia

Near East and

North Africa

South Asia

Percentage

Agriculture Industry Services

Female share of agricultural labour force

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

East and Southeast Asia Latin America and the CaribbeanNear East and North Africa South AsiaSub-Saharan Africa

0

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 Male-headed households

But they control less land

Women farmers produce less per unit of land…

-41

-21 -18

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

Sorghum Vegetables All cropsPercentage

Gap between yields on male- and female-controlled plots in Burkina Faso

…because they use fewer inputs (e.g. fertilizers)

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

Female-headed households Male-headed households

Women and men have different innovation needs

0 2 4 6

OthersAg.inputs & tech.

HealthIGAs

Capital-creditEducation

Labour-saving tech

Women Men

What needs to be done: 6 priority areas

• Policy

• Legal

• Technology

• Leadership

• Social

• Knowledge & Research

Thank you.

M. Ann Tutwiler Deputy Director General - Knowledge

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations