This resource from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations discusses the role of cooperatives in improving livelihoods, food security, and gender equality for rural women.
Despite women’s important role in agricultural production, women are less likely than men to have access to land, equipment, credit, training, and other resources. Establishing cooperatives can improve economic opportunities and food security while promoting gender equality and empowering women in agriculture.
This resource answers the following questions:
- Are producer cooperatives just for farmers?
- Why do small producers need cooperatives?
- How can cooperatives help rural women?
- How can producers’ organizations make rural development policies and programs more effective?
- What is an example of how cooperatives have helped rural women?
This resource is available in Arabic, English, French, Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish. The full resource can be accessed at this link: https://www.fao.org/gender/insights/detail/en/c/43699/ [1]
Photo: Agatha Kwaba in her field of Cocoyam in Rudewa Mbuyuni location near Morogoro, Tanzania on May 27, 2014.