2012 Women and Agriculture · 2012 Women and Agriculture: Closing the gender gap for development Food and Agriculture 2010-11 Eve Crowley, Officer in Charge & Deputy Director Food

1

Economic and Social Development DepartmentFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

The State of

2012

Women and Agriculture:

Closing the gender gap for development

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

Eve Crowley, Officer in Charge & Deputy Director

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)International Coffee Organization

London, 24 September 2012


Message

Agricultural and rural economies are under-

The State of

Agricultural and rural economies are underperforming because of gender inequalities

Closing the gender gap in agriculture makes good economic sense (productivity, food security, economic and social gains)

We need to address multiple constraints Food and

Agriculture

2010-11

psimultaneously to empower rural women

We know what to do. It is time to do it!

2


Meet Valiben of Gujarat, India

The State of

Food andAgriculture

2010-11


70%80%90%

latio

n

Female employment rates vary by region but are always lower than men’s

The State of

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

%

Mal

es

Fem

ales

Mal

es

Fem

ales

Mal

es

Fem

ales

Mal

es

Fem

ales

Mal

es

Fem

ales

Mal

es

Fem

ales

of to

tal m

ale

and

fem

ale

popu

l

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

F F F F F F

Developingcountries

Sub-Saharan

Africa

LatinAmericaand the

East andSoutheast

Asia

Near Eastand North

Africa

South Asia

% o

Agriculture Industry Services

Source: ILO, Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM, 6th Edition).Note: The ILO, KILM data covers only a subset of the countries in each region. Definitions of adult labour force differ by country, but usually refers to the population aged 15 and above. Employed includes self-employed, employed, employers as well as contributing family members. There is no distinction between formal sector employment and informal sector employment.

3

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Economic and Social Development Department

60

Female share of the agricultural labour force

The State of10

20

30

40

50

60

Fem

ale

shar

e of

agr

icul

tura

l la

bor

forc

e (%

)

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

0

10

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

East and Southeast Asia Latin America and the Caribbean

Near East and North Africa South Asia

Sub-Saharan Africa

Source. FAOSTAT. Note: The agricultural labour force includes people who are working or looking for work in formal or informal jobs and in paid and or unpaid employment in agriculture. That includes self-employed women as well as women working on family farms. It does not include domestic chores such as fetching water and firewood, preparing food and caring for childrenand other family members.



Women are more likely to be employed in agriculture than men

The State of

Food andAgriculture

2010-11Source: ILO, Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM, 6th Edition). Share of employed population by sector and genderNote: The ILO, KILM data covers only a subset of the countries in each region. Definitions of adult labour force differ by country, but usually refers to the population aged 15 and above. Employed includes self-employed, employed, employers as well as contributing family members. There is no distinction between formal sector employment and informal sector employment.

4



Women are less likely to participate in rural wage employment than men

Panama

The State ofMalawiNigeria

Bangladesh Indonesia

Nepal Tajikistan

Viet Nam

Ecuador GuatemalaNicaragua

Panama

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Ghana Malawi

Men Women

Note: Refers to percentage of the adult population working for a wage.Source. FAO RIGA database



but are more likely to be in part-time work

The State ofBangladeshIndonesia

Nepal Tajikistan Viet Nam

Ecuador Guatemala Nicaragua

Panama

Food andAgriculture

2010-110 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Ghana Malawi

Nigeria

Bangladesh

Men Women

Source: FAO RIGA database

5



or seasonal employment

The State ofI d i

Nepal

Tajikistan

Viet Nam

Ecuador

Guatemala

Nicaragua

Panama

Food andAgriculture

2010-110 20 40 60 80 100 120

Malawi

Bangladesh

Indonesia

Men Women

Source: FAO RIGA database



Panama

and more likely to hold low-wage jobs*

The State ofBangladesh

Indonesia

Nepal

Tajikistan

Viet Nam

Ecuador

Guatemala

Nicaragua

Food andAgriculture

2010-110 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Ghana

Malawi

Nigeria

Men Women

Source: FAO RIGA database*Low-wage jobs are defined as those that pay less than the median agricultural wage

6



Women control less land

Bolivia

The State ofGhana

Viet NamTajikistan Pakistan

Nepal Indonesia Banglades

Panama Nicaragua

Guatemala Ecuador Bolivia

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Malawi Madagasc

Average farm size (ha)

Male-headed households Female-headed households



and produce less per unit of land...

The State of

-41

-21 -18

-30

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

Sorghum Vegetables All cropsPercentage

Food andAgriculture

2010-11Gap between yields on male- and female-controlled plots in Burkina Faso

-45

-40

-35

7



…because they use fewer inputs (e.g. fertilizer)

The State ofViet NamTajikistan

PakistanNepal

Bangladesh

Panama Nicaragua Guatemala

Ecuador Bolivia

Food andAgriculture

2010-110 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Nigeria Malawi

Madagascar Ghana

Percentage of households using fertilizers

Male-headed households Female-headed households


This is also true for

The State of

This is also true for

coffee

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

8



As in contract farming, women coffee farmers are often disadvantaged

The State of

Outgrower companies prefer men

Men usually control the contracts, while women provide much of the family labour

Evidence of benefits to women from contract farming is mixed

Food andAgriculture

2010-11



Country Commodity Year ofsurvey

No. employees in ag-industry

Share of female workers

But women dominate employment in many of the high-value agro-industries

The State of

workersCameroon Banana 2003 10,000

Côte d'lvoire Banana and pineapple 2002 35,000

Kenya Flowers 2002 40,000 – 70,000 75%

Senegal French beans 2005 12,000 90%

Cherry tomatoes 2006 3,000 60%

Uganda Flowers 1998 3,300 75%

Zambia Vegetables 2002/3 7,500 65%

Flowers 2002/3 2,500 35%

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

,

South Africa Deciduous fruit 1994 283,000 53%

Mexico Vegetables 1990s 950,000 90%

Colombia Flowers mid-90s 75,000 60-80%

Chile Fruits 1990s 300,000 ca 46%

D. Republic Fruits, veg., flow., plants

1989-90 16,955 ca 41%

Source. For Africa: Maertens and Swinnen (2009), based on several sources. For South America: Deere (2005), based on several sources.

9



3.5

4

Lower levels of gender inequality are correlated with higher average cereal yields in developing countries

The State of0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Cer

eal y

ield

(to

nnes

/ha)

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

0

0.5

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th

SIGI group:1st = least gender inequality ----- 10th = greatest gender inequality

Source: Cereal yields are from FAOSTAT; Gender inequality is measured by the Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI), a composite measure of gender discrimination based on social institutions, constructed by the OECD Development centre



5

FemaleFemale--headed households are hit headed households are hit harder by high food pricesharder by high food prices

The State of

-.5

0.5

ge in

We

lfare

(F

HH

-MH

H)

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

-1.5

-1%

Ch

an

Bangladesh Ghana Guatemala Malawi Nicaragua Pakistan Vietnam

Rural UrbanNational

Note: The graph shows the differential change in welfare between FHH (female-headed households) and MHH (male-headedhouseholds).

10



Economic and social gains from closing the gender gap Productivity gains

The State of

Productivity gains• 20 to 30 percent on women’s farms

• 2.5 to 4 percent at national level

Food security gains• 12 to 17 percent reduction in the number of hungry

• 100 to 150 million people lifted out of hunger

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

Broader economic and social gains• Better health, nutrition and education outcomes for

children

• Builds human capital, which promotes economic growth



Greter gender equality in the coffee value chain can

The State of

Increase production and productivity

Speed up the adoption of innovations

Raise household incomes

Ensure significant improvements to child health, nutrition, education

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

, ,

Enhance the potential of value chain development as an agent of sustainable social change

11



The State of

What FAO is doing to close the gender gap in agriculture

Food andAgriculture

2010-11


Gender equality & Good governance

Building a world free from hunger

The State of

Eradicate hunger

Build inclusive efficient food and

agricultural

Sustainablysupply goods and services

from agriculture, forestry and

fisheries

Increase resilience of livelihoods to threats and

crisis

Reduce rural

poverty

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

systemscrisis

UN specialized agency191 members (Ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry,

Land and Natural Resources)128 country, 13 sub-regional and 5 regional offices

Partners: UN, farmer, fisher, forest worker organizations

12


Gender focusAssess trends

Cl th

The State of

A world free from hunger founded

on inclusive-ness and

Knowledge/stats

Instruments

Policy

Capacity/tech.

Promotedecent rural employment

Close thegender gap in

access to resources

(land, tech.)Empower rural

populationseconomically,

socially,

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

ness and equality

for women and men

Communication

Innovation

Partnerships

Strengthenrural

institutionsand voice

Ensure FAOaddresses

both women and men in all

its work

politically



Warehouse receipt systemWarehouse receipt systemWestern & Southern Africa, IndiaWestern & Southern Africa, India

The State of

Market

Collateral guarantee

Food andAgriculture

2010-11In Niger:33 % increase in stock value (in 4- 6 months of storage) New incomes from off-season cultivation activities18 % of food stocks used for the lean season

Micro-finance institution

13



The State of

What Valiben did

Food andAgriculture

2010-11



Organizing (social capital)

The State of

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

14



Building capacities and rights (human)

literacy and numeracy training

The State of

literacy and numeracy training

legal awareness

sensitization of men and families about the benefits to them of enabling women to meet, earn, and lead

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

nutrition



Building natural assets (land, livestock)

The State of

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

15



Accessing financial services (savings, credit and insurance)

The State of

Food andAgriculture

2010-11



Building physical assets and accessing technologies

The State of

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

16



and equipment and tools (library)

The State of

Food andAgriculture

2010-11



Accessing markets

The State of

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

17



Adding value and increasing employment

The State of

Food andAgriculture

2010-11



Accessing information and services

The State of

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

18



The State of

What you can do

Food andAgriculture

2010-11



In the coffee sector:

Gender value chain analysis

The State of

Gender value chain analysis

Women focused vertical and horizontal linkages

Women’s bargaining power

Women centred value chains Food andAgriculture

2010-11

Women centred value chains

Cooperatives and self help groups

Enhance women’s ownership of assets

Improve data

19



Ensure

Gender is earmarked in budgets

The State of

Gender is earmarked in budgets

Agricultural investments are gender smart

Targets for women’s participation are established

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

Gender equality is monitored in multilateral and bilateral aid programmes – take the lead



Expand access to resources, services, assets

Mobilize resources and invest

The State of

Political will, responsive policies

Organize, participate, lead

With the support of men

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

Education, extension, skills, information

Rural and urban

OVERCOME BUNDLED CONSTRAINTS TOGETHER

20



The State of

Thank you

We know it needs to be done.

Food andAgriculture

2010-11

We know what to do.

It is now time to do it!

Documents

2012 Women and Agriculture · 2012 Women and Agriculture: Closing the gender gap for development Food and Agriculture 2010-11 Eve Crowley, Officer in Charge & Deputy Director Food