Barriers to farming for women persist – global study

In a recent survey by Corteva Agriscience to identify barriers still faced by female employees in the agriculture sector, respondents said they had seen progress but it had been too slow. In addition to experiencing financial disparities, fewer than half felt acknowledged or empowered to make decisions.

A recent study reveals that women in agriculture around the world say widespread gender discrimination persists and poses obstacles to their ability to help feed the world.

The 17-country study was commissioned by Corteva Agriscience, DowDuPont’s Agriculture Division, to underscore the importance of women in agriculture and identify barriers to their full and successful participation. It included more than 4 000 respondents in both the developed and developing world on five continents. South Africa was amongst the countries included.

the need to measure progress

According to Krysta Harden, the vicepresident of external affairs and chief sustainability officer at Corteva Agriscience, the study was conducted to further understand the current status of women farmers, and create a baseline from which to measure further progress. The respondents were drawn from the largest farms in the most advanced economies to the smallest subsistence farms in the developing world.

The survey’s findings reveal that, although women are overwhelmingly proud to be in agriculture, they perceive gender discrimination as widespread, ranging from 78% in India to 52% in the US. Only half say they are equally as successful as their male counterparts; 42% say they have the same opportunities as their male counterparts; and only 38% say they are empowered to make decisions about how income is used in farming and agriculture.

Almost 40% of the respondents reported lower income than men and less access to financing. High on the list of concerns were financial stability, the welfare of their families, and achieving a work-life balance.

Many said they needed more training to take advantage of the agricultural technology that has become essential for financial success and environmental stewardship. This desire for training emerged as the most commonly cited need among the

respondents for removing obstacles to gender equality. The numbers significantly exceeded 50% for all 17 countries, with Brazil, Nigeria, Kenya, Mexico and South Africa leading the way.

The majority of women reported progress towards gender equality, but 72% said it would take one to three decades or more to achieve full equality. The respondents identified five key actions that were needed to remove obstacles to equality:

• More training in technology (cited by 80%); • More academic education (cited by 79%); • More support – legal and otherwise – to help women in agriculture who experience gender discrimination (cited by 76%);

• Raising the public’s awareness of the success that women are achieving in agriculture (cited by 75%);

• Raising the public’s awareness of gender discrimination in agriculture (cited by 74%).

Almost 40% of respondents cited lower income than men and less access to financing

According to Harden, while it was known that women make up almost half of the world’s farmers, this study clearly indicates that challenges continue to persist, holding back not only the women in agriculture but the people who depend on them: their families, communities and societies.

Identifying these challenges is the first step to removing obstacles preventing rural women farmers from achieving their full potential.

details of the survey

The survey was conducted in August and September. A total of 4 160 respondents from 17 countries in Asia Pacific (24%), North America (21%), Latin America (21%), Europe (19%), and Africa (15%) participated. The countries surveyed were China, India, Indonesia, Australia, the US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

Most of the women who participated were involved in crop farming; the rest were engaged in a variety of other farming and related agricultural pursuits.

The farms ranged from small subsistence farms to enterprises with more than 300 employees.

The women who participated varied from owners and managers to employees and workers. The average age of the respondents was 34.

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly.