OPINION: How women’s grassroots leadership can accelerate gender equality in agriculture

This year’s International Women's Day (IWD) theme, “Accelerate Action for Women’s Equality”, underscores the urgency of driving meaningful change toward gender equality.

Women play an indispensable role in agriculture, food security, and economic development, yet systemic barriers hinder their full participation.

Addressing these barriers and fostering grassroots leadership is essential for creating sustainable development in East Africa.

Agriculture is the backbone of many East African economies, with rural women contributing significantly to food production and household nutrition.

According to the African Development Bank, women provide 50% of agriculture labour, spending most of their time tending to the farms.

Up to 80% of women in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are the dependable agents in ensuring that the food and nutritional needs of their households are met.

In East Africa, research shows that women farmers have lower agricultural productivity as compared to their male counterparts, according to UN Women.

This is because of gender discrimination in access to and utilisation of production resources such as land, agricultural inputs, and financial services.

Furthermore, women have limited decision-making opportunities right from their households and within their local communities, per a 2017 World Bank report. 

Women are further burdened by restrictive gender norms and social structures that allocate them primary responsibilities in childcare, household management, and unpaid labour.

These constraints result in time poverty, limiting their ability to engage in economic opportunities and leadership roles. Patriarchal systems and customary laws in East Africa disproportionately favour men in land ownership, decision-making, and economic participation, exacerbating gender disparities.

It is therefore not a wonder to see a group of men discussing issues to do with water connectivity in homes without any women representation.

In the arid and semi-arid areas, the situation is worse where the principal wealth and assets are based, i.e. rearing of camels, cattle, sheep, and goats. Social norms limit women’s ownership of productive assets, further entrenching gender inequalities in resource control and wealth accumulation.

With a rigid gender division of labour, the exclusion of women from ownership of the main store of wealth is central to gender disparity.

Climate change and extreme weather patterns exacerbate these challenges, highlighting the urgency of integrating gender-responsive agricultural policies and resilience-building initiatives.

Women's leadership, especially in the community and farmer-based organisations, is key in accelerating action towards gender equality in agriculture sectors.

Several considerations can be undertaken to increase inclusivity in agriculture and development in rural areas.

• Gender considerations in policies that relate to agriculture and rural development are key. This means that the policy makers must be aware of the fact that leaving women behind only aggravates the poverty situations in their countries.
• Economic empowerment for rural women - Grassroots women are powerful change agents and must be supported in gaining economic autonomy. Expanding access to productive resources and services such as land, education, technology/ innovations, as well as in the provision of financial services, will enhance their resilience. Investing in women-led agricultural enterprises and value chains will boost income generation and self-sufficiency.
• Promoting women’s leadership in farmer organisations - Women must be included in leadership roles within farmer organisations to champion gender equality and advocate for inclusive decision-making.
• Addressing gender specific barriers - Women farmers face distinct challenges, including lack of labour-friendly technologies, access to childcare, and limited financial literacy, which undermine women’s success. Therefore, it is important to involve women to ensure that agricultural interventions are gender responsive.
• Provision of capacity building for women - Women in agriculture require structured mentorship programs and leadership training to build their skills, confidence, and decision-making capacity. Investing in capacity-building initiatives with a focus on agribusiness management, climate resilience, and digital agriculture. Peer-to-peer mentorship programs that connect experienced women farmers with emerging leaders in agriculture will enhance long-term growth and sustainability.
• Access to timely agricultural information remains a significant challenge for rural women. Digital solutions such as mobile-based advisory services and farmer helplines can bridge this gap by expanding mobile banking and fintech solutions to facilitate women’s access to financial services. Providing real-time agricultural training via mobile platforms and developing gender-sensitive digital literacy programs will further enhance women’s ability to leverage technology for agricultural growth.

To accelerate gender equality in agriculture and economic development, collaborative action is essential. Governments, private sector stakeholders, civil society organisations, and development partners must work together to:

• Increase investment in gender-responsive agriculture, ensuring women’s access to land, finance, and productive resources.
• Enhance women’s adoption of climate-smart agriculture to strengthen resilience against climate change.
• Promote inclusive governance structures, ensuring women have a voice, agency and power in agricultural policy and rural development.
• Foster public-private partnerships, facilitating market access for women-led agribusinesses.
• Support research and data collection to inform evidence-based interventions promoting gender equality in agriculture.

Dr Nderitu is a member of the East African Dryland Agroforestry Expert Group.