A female worker picks hot pepper in a field. Research findings show that despite being more in number, women farmers in African countries, including Uganda, produce less per hectare of land than the men. Photo BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA

A report published by The World Bank and the One Campaign reveals a serious gender gap in African agriculture with Ugandan women producing 13 per cent less compared to men on a hectare of land.

Titled “Levelling the Field: Improving Opportunities for Women Farmers in Africa”, it examines scale and causes of the dramatic differences between how much men and women farmers produce in these African countries--Ethiopia, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda--which together make up more than 40 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population.

Key findings
The study found that although almost half the agricultural workers across the continent are women and their productivity on their farms is significantly lower per hectare compared to men.

In these six countries profiled, the range at which women produce less than men stands at as follows: Malawi 25 per cent, Ethiopia 23 per cent, Niger 19, and Nigeria (South 24 per cent North 4 per cent), Uganda 13 per cent and Tanzania has the lowest at six per cent.

Other key findings include: Equal access to resources such as fertiliser, farm labour and training does not always translate into equal returns for women farmers.

And policy interventions like securing women’s land rights and improving their access to hired labour are critical for reducing the gender gap and expanding economic growth which is needed to end poverty.

Tackling inequality
The report says agriculture has enormous potential to drive inclusive economic growth, improve food security, and create job opportunities for millions of Africans.

Two thirds of Africa’s citizens depend on farming for their livelihoods and more than 90 per cent of the poorest people engage in agriculture. Given equal access to productive resources, women farmers worldwide could increase farm yields by as much as 20 to 30 per cent, meaning 100 to 150 million fewer people would go to bed hungry every day.

The World Bank Group and One Campaign officials say tackling the pervasive inequality faced by women farmers across Africa is critical if the continent is to reduce poverty, boost economic growth and feed its growing population.

Gender gaps
This first of its type report reveals deep rooted gender gaps in African agriculture, identifies factors holding back women farmers, and sets out concrete actions that policy makers can take to reduce inequality.

Officials argue that closing this gap can help boost household incomes and livelihoods, as well as provide cheap and nutritious food to Africa’s growing population.

“This presents the clearest evidence to date about the breadth and depth of the gender gap in African agriculture. It argues that by spear-heading proven, effective policies that target the needs of female farmers, such as strengthening land rights, governments can help farming families tackle the low-productivity traps that entrench poverty and prevent millions of farmers from leading decent lives,” said Makhtar Diop, Vice President, Africa Region, World Bank.

The authors point out that the report is particularly timely as the African Union has declared 2014 the “Year of Agriculture and Food Security”, bringing much needed attention to the farming sector’s potential to transform the continent.

Address key areas
ONE Africa Director, Dr Sipho Moyo, explained, “We ignore this gender gap at our peril and ultimately at great social and economic cost. It is a real injustice to Africa’s women farmers and their families that women make up nearly half of the labour force in agriculture but, on average, produce less per hectare than men.

This absurd gender gap further undermines the sector’s potential to drive inclusive economic growth, improve food security and create employment and business opportunities for millions of young Africans entering the job market every year”

He added: “If governments and partners invest in agriculture and, in particular, its women farmers today, they can be assured of a legacy of greater equality and boundless opportunity that will benefit Africans for generations to come and may usher the beginning of the end of aid dependence for our people.”

To narrow the gender gap, African governments are called upon to address key policy areas which will help empower women farmers