The State of
Women in Agriculture -Closing the gender gap for development
Office of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO-
Available online at: http://bit.ly/hXj1zu
“…..This edition of The State of Food and Agriculture addresses Women in agriculture: closing the gender gap for development. The agriculture sector is underperforming in many developing countries, and one of the key reasons is that women do not have equal access to the resources and opportunities they need to be more productive. This report clearly confirms that the Millennium Development Goals on gender equality (MDG 3) and poverty and food security (MDG 1) are mutually reinforcing.
“……Women make crucial contributions in agriculture and rural enterprises in all developing country regions, as farmers, workers and entrepreneurs. Their roles vary across regions but, everywhere, women face gender-specific constraints that reduce their productivity and limit their contributions to agricultural production, economic growth and the well-being of their families, communities and countries.
Women face a serious gender gap in access to productive resources. Women control less land than men and the land they control is often of poorer quality and their tenure is insecure. Women own fewer of the working animals needed in farming.
They also frequently do not control the income from the typically small animals they manage. Women farmers are less likely than men to use modern inputs such as improved seeds, fertilizers, pest control measures and mechanical tools. They also use less credit and often do not control the credit they obtain.
Finally, women have less education and less access to extension services, which make it more difficult to gain access to and use some of the other resources, such as land, credit and fertilizer. These factors also prevent women from adopting new technologies as readily as men do. The constraints women face are often interrelated and need to be addressed holistically….”
Contents
PART I - Women in agriculture: closing the gender gap for development
1. The gender gap in agriculture
Structure of the report and key messages
Key messages of the report
2. Women’s work
Women in agriculture
Women in rural labour markets
3. Documenting the gender gap in agriculture
Land
Livestock
Farm labour
Education
Information and extension
Financial services
Technology
4. Gains from closing the gender gap
Productivity of male and female farmers
Production gains from closing the gender gap
Other social and economic benefits of closing the gender gap
5. Closing the gender gap in agriculture and rural employment
Closing the gap in access to land
Closing the gap in rural labour markets
Closing the financial services gap
Closing the gap in social capital through women’s groups
Closing the technology gap
6. Closing the gender gap for development
PART II - World food and agriculture in review
Trends in undernourishment
Food production, consumption and trade during the crises
Recent trends in agricultural prices: a higher price plateau, and greater price volatility
Conclusions
PART III - Statistical annex
Notes on the Annex tables
Table A1 Total population, female share of population and rural share of population in 1980, 1995 and 2010
Table A2 Female share of national, rural and urban population aged 15–49, most recent and earliest observations
Table A3 Economically active population, female share of economically active population and agricultural share of economically active women in 1980, 1995 and 2010
Table A4 Economically active population, agricultural share of economically active population and female share of economically active in agriculture in 1980, 1995 and 2010
Table A5 Share of households in rural areas that are female-headed, most recent and earliest observations, and total agricultural holders and female share of agricultural holders, most recent observation
Table A6 Share of adult population with chronic energy deficiency (CED – body mass index less than 18.5) by sex and share of children underweight by sex, residence and household wealth quintile, most recent observations
References
Special chapters of The State of Food and Agriculture
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