‘Few women participating in agriculture production’

Regional gender coordinator for We Effect Jenifer Sakala says there is limited participation of women in agriculture value chains in Southern Africa although they constitute the majority of players in the sector.

We Effect is non-governmental organisation previously known as Swedish Cooperatives that works in countries such as Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique.

Addressing the Women in Agriculture Value Chain Conference in Lilongwe on Tuesday, the Lusaka-based Sakala also said existing gender disparities in accessing resources, market participation and capital accumulation limit the effective engagement of women in agriculture production.

“Agriculture value chains not only provide employment for the population, but also impacts on almost all the other sectors of development. The number of women working in the agriculture sector has risen sharply in recent years to 80 percent of those engaged in food production and yet the productivity of the fields controlled by women is lower than that cultivated by men,” said Sakala.

She said despite having the largest number of players in the sector, UNDP estimates that 70 percent of poorest people in the world are women.

She added that the extent of market participation, especially in formal markets by women is lower than that of their male counterparts.

“While men sell major crops in bulk to distant markets to secure high prices women tend to accept prices at local markets which are accessible by foot. It has been a norm that women sell their commodities directly to consumers while men sell to private traders and cooperatives and even abroad,” said Sakala.

Minister of Gender, Children and Social welfare Annita Kalinde said despite women playing a crucial role in the agriculture sector, they faced myriad challenges which undermine their economic empowerment.

“The insecure land tenure arrangements, low literacy levels, limited access to factors of production such as credit, extension services, farm inputs and training benefits, limit the ability of most women to maximum agricultural opportunities,” said Kalinde.

She said government has demonstrated commitment to improving the welfare of women through the signing of Gender Protocol and passing of the Gender Equality Act to address the imbalances.

“Government’s commitment to the welfare of women is also reflected in the implementation of programmes such as the Safe Motherhood Initiative, the Presidential Initiative on Hunger and Poverty Eradication which has prioritised key crops that will benefit women farmers such as soya beans and groundnuts,” said Kalinde.

Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) chief executive officer Prince Kapondamgaga said the resolutions from the value chain conference will be channeled to government after the annual congress of farmers.

“We are in the process of collecting information on the challenges that women face in the value chain and at the end the day they will be channeled to government for policy formulation,” said Kapondamgaga.