Role of rural women in agricultural and food security

| October 24, 2016

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Women play an important role in agriculture and food security, as many women farm, sell produce, and cook for their family. But women face unique challenges: they control less land than men, they have limited access to training and information, and limited access to inputs, seeds, finance, and credit.

Oct. 15 was the International Day of Rural Women. Check out these resources for more information on the linkages between women’s rights, food security, and poverty.

Hear success stories from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, and India, shared by UN Women: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/rural-women-food-poverty

Access to land and resources is an important issue facing rural women. Learn more on Wiki Gender: http://www.wikigender.org/wiki/categories/access-to-land-and-productive-resources/

On Oct. 15, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon outlined why he believes rural women are critical for achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. He says each of these goals “have gender equality and women’s empowerment at their core.” He added, “Training and access to information on climate-resilient agriculture and technology can make a critical difference.” Read more in this story from the UN News Centre: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=55309#.WAXM7_l97IU

While women certainly play an important role in agricultural production and food security, claims being made by any organization should be examined critically. Three analysts from the International Food Policy Research Institute believe that the following three myths should be debunked:

  • Women produce 60-80 per cent of the world’s food.
  • Women own one per cent of the world’s land.
  • Women are better stewards of the environment.

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