What you need to know:

• The status of women in agrifood systems report found that in sub-Saharan Africa, 66 per cent of women, compared to 60 per cent of men, rely on agrifood systems for their livelihoods.
• However, the working conditions and associated outcomes of women continue to be directly influenced by gender imbalances in the household.

Empowering women in agrifood systems can reduce world hunger, according to a Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) report.

“If we tackle the gender inequalities endemic in agrifood systems and empower women, the world will take a leap forward in addressing the goals of ending poverty and creating a world free from hunger,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu.

The status of women in agrifood systems report found that in sub-Saharan Africa, 66 per cent of women, compared to 60 per cent of men, rely on agrifood systems for their livelihoods. However, the working conditions and associated outcomes of women continue to be directly influenced by gender imbalances in the household.

“Women’s greater burden of unpaid domestic and care work, such as cleaning, cooking and caring for household members, contributes to inequalities in labour market participation and outcomes.”

And despite the importance of agrifood systems for women’s livelihoods and the welfare of their families, their roles tend to be marginalised and their working conditions are likely to be worse than men’s, in that they are irregular, informal, part-time, low-skilled and labour-intensive, thus increasing their vulnerability, the report added.

“The roles of women in off-farm work in agrifood systems are more likely to be in less-profitable value chains and activities or on worse terms than those of men due to restrictive traditional social norms or poor access to assets and resources.”

Priority areas

The report singled out gender inequalities that need to be urgently addressed as women’s land ownership, access to credit and training, and technology that works for women.