Women and Agriculture

Juhie BhatiaWomen's eNews, Managing Editor

Global Voices Online, Public Health Editor

Thailand

"Even talking only about the rural areas, women produce 50% of the food of the

world. They receive only 1% of the credit but they produce 50% of the food."

--Rebeca Grynspan, United Nations Development Program Under-Secretary General and Associate Administrator

Australia

Vital Work

�Women make up on average 43% of the agricultural labor force in developing countries.�But some 60% of the world’s chronically hungry are women and girls.

U.S.A

Source: "Women in Agriculture: Closing the Gender Gap for Development," FAO, March 2011

Common Work

Women in agriculture work as:�Farmers�Laborers (paid/unpaid)�Entrepreneurs

They are more likely to hold work that is:�Seasonal�Low-wage�Part-time

Kenya

Gender Gap

But female farmers have less access than male farmers to:

•Resources•Services

•Opportunities

Afghanistan

While the gender gap varies by resource and location, gaps exist in areas such as:

•Land•Livestock•Education•Financial services•Technology

Greece

Source: "Women in Agriculture: Closing the Gender Gap for Development," FAO, March 2011

Source: "Women in Agriculture: Closing the Gender Gap for Development," FAO, March 2011

So what's the downside?

Uganda

�Lower yields�Reduced income�Family's well-being impacted �Food security

Cambodia

Food Security

•Giving women the same tools and resources as men could increase agricultural production by 2.5 to 4%.

•This could reduce the number of hungry people by 12 to 17%, or by 100 to 150 million people.

Tanzania

So what can be done?

England

•Eliminate discrimination under the law•Gender-aware policy and programming •Gather sex-specific data•Ensure women's voices are heard

Egypt

The Role of Media

The Role of Media

•Media is another way to share female farmers' voices.•But in agricultural stories monitored in Mali, Uganda and Zambia, only 20% of sources were farmers and other rural, agricultural workers.•Just 11% of the sources and 22% of the

reporters were women.

Laos

Improving Coverage

•Gender equality in newsrooms•Examine the gender angle•Training•Talk to farmers•Diversity •Include male voices

Albania

For More Information:

�"Women in Agriculture: Closing the Gender Gap for Development," FAO, March 2011:http://bit.ly/e4Umxf

�Preventing Hunger, Focus on Women, World Food Programme:http://bit.ly/khmnOh

�“Reporting on Agriculture and Women: Africa,” IWMF, Feb 2009:http://bit.ly/m6YgMw

�Photos from the blog Shakesville:http://bit.ly/2MeB1v Guatemala

Juhie Bhatia

Women's eNews, Managing EditorGlobal Voices Online, Public Health Editor

Algeria