In sub-Saharan Africa, smallholder farmers account for 80% of the farming population, with women making up more than half of this group. These women not only grow crops on small plots of land—typically under two hectares—but also engage in agro-processing and marketing. Despite their essential role in agriculture, they often face major barriers, including limited access to land, agricultural tools, financing, and markets. Their deep-rooted knowledge of traditional farming, seed storage, and local ecosystems is undervalued, and they are frequently viewed merely as “farmers’ wives” rather than farmers in their own right.
Agroecology offers a promising, low-cost, and sustainable solution to these challenges. This environmentally friendly approach to farming emphasizes natural inputs like compost, mulch, intercropping, and agroforestry instead of expensive chemical fertilisers and pesticides. It enables women to grow diverse crops, raise livestock, and improve soil health while reducing their dependence on global markets. Agroecology also aligns closely with women’s existing backyard farming practices and supports local food systems, helping them feed their families and earn an income from surplus produce. Additionally, it opens up new value chains—such as organic production and participatory guarantee systems—that allow women to sell their produce at higher prices and build consumer trust.
Across the continent, agroecology is already being practised in various forms. Women-led cooperatives in East Africa grow organic coffee, while agroforestry thrives in countries like Ghana, Senegal, and Ethiopia. In Southern Africa, conservation agriculture and integrated pest management are common, and women in Mali and Ghana produce bioenergy and seeds from plants like Jatropha. To scale these successes, policymakers are urged to invest in agroecological markets, provide women farmers with better access to land and financing, and establish local processing hubs and certification systems. With the right support, women smallholder farmers can lead the way in building climate-resilient, food-secure communities across Africa.
Read full article at https://nation.africa/kenya/news/gender/the-80-per-cent-why-africa-s-smallholder-farmers-hold-the-key-to-food-security-5164146