Women play big role in rice supply chain

More policies on closing the gender gap in the agriculture sector are needed as women are playing a bigger role in the rice supply chain, based on the latest study of Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF).

The study, “Enhancing Gender Outcomes of Different Rice Related Agencies through Gender Analysis of Rice Supply Chain and Advocacies,” showed women have been playing major roles than men in capital sourcing (51.11 percent) and seeds sourcing (12.59 percent).

The study also revealed women are more involved in post-production activities like palay drying (21.48 percent), milling (27.4 percent), and marketing (42.22 percent).

It also revealed that women play a big part in decision-making over matters like family savings (46.7 percent), backyard gardens (56.7 percent), and alternative livelihoods (36.7 percent).

PCAF said the study could help the sector in addressing the distinctive needs of women in agriculture, fostering more participation for women in decision-making bodies, and in overcoming gender-based constraints in the agri-fishery sector.

Rice Watch Action Network executive director and National Banner Program Committee on Rice chairperson Hazel Tanchuling – who presented the results of the study in a recent webinar, emphasized the importance of studies like the gender analysis of the rice supply chain and advocacies in improving policies and programs in the agriculture sector.

She said gender analysis tools could help in identifying existing gender inequalities that plague the agriculture sector.

This as the study identified urgent gender issues such as the need for more focus on women farmers belonging to indigenous groups, the need to promote comprehensive gendersensitive policies, services, and programs, and the importance of women’s participation and leadership in policymaking.

Women comprise a large percentage of the agricultural labor force while acting as caregivers for their families, but the study revealed that they have long been disadvantaged in terms of ownership and control of productive asset inputs.

The report said this gender gap also extends to access to agricultural training and education.

A 2014 study by the World Bank showed closing the gender gap could increase yields on women-run farms by as much as 30 percent.

Closing the gender gap and increasing women’s competitiveness in the agri-fisheries sector could also help the sector in maximizing the potential of agricultural lands.