Male-out Migration and the “Left-Behind:” Agriculture and Food Security Policy Supports and the Woman Smallholder Farmer in Ghana (original) (raw)
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Dr. Danaa Nantogmah, 2015
In recent years, global and national agenda have given high priority to ensuring that all persons irrespective of where they live have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food. More than 50% of women are working in the agriculture sector and women play a vital role in food production, distribution and utilization. Thus, we cannot talk about ensuring food security in Africa without assessing the contribution and challenges women face on daily basis in putting nutritious food on the table in many African homes. Despite the significant contribution of women to agriculture and food security, women farmers continue to face a number of constraints including access to land, agriculture credit and finance, limited markets and market access as well as inadequate agriculture extension services. Therefore empowering women and girls is not just necessary for their well-being but more importantly also serves as a means to increase agriculture development and productivity.
Migration and Development , 2019
Migration to the Brong-Ahafo Region (BAR) of Ghana is a popular adaptation strategy employed by subsistence farmers in Upper West Region (UWR) in coping with environmental degradation, poverty and food insecurity. Women are migrating, as well as joining their partners in rural farming areas of the BAR in increasing numbers. Most previous research on migration in this context has focused on men. Informed by a Feminist Political Ecology (FPE) perspective, this paper uses a qualitative approach in examining the lived experiences of migrant women. The findings show that migrant women reap limited economic benefits from migration. This is mainly due to economic, structural and cultural barriers that hinder women’s autonomy and their effective utilisation of agricultural and food resources in the migration destination. These findings highlight the need to reassess current laws around land ownership and use in Ghana, to optimise benefits for women. In addition, agricultural intervention programmes should involve both migrant women and men, and take into account cultural contexts. Finally, enabling alternative non-farming livelihoods would empower migrant women economically.
Baba Alhassan, 2024
Women's access to critical resources such as land is one of the most topical issues amongst development practitioners, gender advocates, and policymakers alike. Land is one of the bases of wealth, power and authority in most developing countries. As such, no meaningful development takes place without land resources, yet gender inequalities with respect to land allocation and distribution exist in most Sub-Saharan African countries, especially northern Ghana where majority of the affected are women. This paper examined the effect of the customary land tenure system on landless women smallholder farmers and Agro-processors in West Mamprusi Municipality. Primary data from individuals and household heads, chiefs, and Tingban-dima (landowners), were gathered using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews. Secondary was also extensively reviewed as a complement to the primary data in the area of study. The study revealed significant gender disparities between men and women relative to land allocation and land access. Women access to land was abysmal compared to that of men. The situation was also found to be aggravated by the dominant patriarchal relations which favour men relative to property ownership. only a hand-full of women had owned and access to some lands but in most cases, such lands were reported to be poorer in quality, and lack proximity relative to complementary resources such as water. additionally, some lands in the hands of women came in with hefty royalties, thereby exacerbating their plight. The productive capacity of women in food production, agro-processing, vegetable production, and animal husbandry was found to be impeded by the land tenure system which limits their livelihood opportunities thereby widening the poverty-gap amongst women and men. Nonetheless, women's access to land has seen a bit of improvement over the years, considering the recognition of women's contribution to household income and the nutritive diet of children, but indigenous traditional inheritance structures still limit the potentials of women in this direction. The need to therefore advocate for a change in traditional land ownership and distribution by emphasizing on the women's right and contribution to development. The constitution of Ghana allows for equal access to land irrespective of gender; this must therefore be advocated. This will address the gender gap in land and water resources to pave the way for women in agriculture, which will improve rural livelihoods, especially women in reproductive age.
Men and women continue to have differential access to agricultural resources despite the seemingly equal roles they play in agriculture in many developing countries. The study sought to determine the relationship between gender and access to agricultural resources in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Simple random sampling technique was employed to select 400 farmers disaggregated into men and women from four districts in the region. Statistically significant differences were observed between gender and access to land, labour, inputs and radio, extension agents and input suppliers (p<0.05) while there was no significant difference between gender and access to credit (p>0.05) even though women also have more access to credit than men. It has been recommended that more aspects of the culture of the people be improved to pave way for more access to agricultural land in particular. Levels of credit support are very low in the region and financial institutions need to reduce some of ...
ABSTRACT The r u r a l sector in many developing countries is increasingly characterized by the prevalence of poverty and food insecurity (FAO, 1990b: 2) In a qualitative and quantitative study of 160 women, 93% reacted positively towards awareness of Government Policies interventions to ensuring food security in the Kasena-Nankana Municipality. On the issue of women involvement in agricultural production, 84.4 percent representing 135 of the respondents stated they were into food production. 83.8% of the 160 respondents indicated that they undertake crop farming which was consistent with the findings of Akpabio (2005). Out of the 160 women participarts, 81.25% mentioned that they cultivated groundnut. Also 75.63% indicated that they cultivated rice. The study further revealed that 76.25% and 65.63% of the respondents are into beans and maize production respectively. Only 20% were into other crops not stated. 82% were engaged in animal production. Respondents indicated that 43% engaged in food processing, 37% engaged in farm labour and 20% engaged in trading of farm produce. The main methods of processing of food crops were threshing, winnowing, milling and drying and this conform to the findings of Kabeen (1994). The main constraint facing women in Kasena-Nankana Municipality towards achieving food security is the non inclusion of women in decision- making process, such as distribution of farm lands and the sale of family lands. Keywords: Government, Policies, Food, Security, Women, Household, intervention.
This study was carried out to determine the role rural women play in the attainment of household food security in Ghana. Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. A total of 100 women farmers were selected through a simple random sampling approach. Frequency distribution tables, percentages and pictograms were used to summarize and organize the field data. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Household Food Security Scale was used to determine the food security status of respondent households and Chi-square test of independence was employed to examine the relationship between household food security and selected roles played by women at the household level. Roles women-farmers played on-and off-farm were categorized into three general roles namely: producers of food (which involves the cultivation of basic food staples), traders of food commodities and other off-farm income earning activities; and home management, which includes preserving, processing and preparing food and provision of child care and other household chores. Evidence from the study showed that majority (56%) of households interviewed were food insecure with about 22% of them being food insecure with hunger and 6% experiencing severe food insecurity. The study showed that household food security in the study area significantly depended on backyard gardening by women, the number of crops cultivated by women, farm income obtained by women and income generated from off-farm activities by women. The study, therefore, recommended that diversification in the roles of women at the household level should be encouraged to improve household food security.
Gender Disparities and the Role of Women in Smallholder Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa
International Journal of Science and Research, 2016
Gender equality is a basic human right that requires that men and women be treated equally with respect to resources, legislation and policies. Gender-based discrimination results in serious gaps in political, social and economic participation. In sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture is the livelihood of nearly 70% of the economically active population. For the rural poor, agriculture is the main source of employment and income, although the income generated is low. A host of factors leading to low yields means that many households continue to be food insecure. High rates of hunger are strongly linked to gender inequality. The agricultural sector is underperforming in many sub-Saharan African countries, in part because women do not have equal access to the resources and opportunities they need to become more productive. Women smallholder farmers in the sub-Saharan African region face numerous constraints. They may have access to land but very few actually own or have title to it; their plots tend to be less fertile than those belonging to men; they have fewer farm tools and equipment; and limited access to farm credit, inputs, technologies and information. In addition, women farmers lack access to improved seeds, reliable water supplies, markets, financing and insurance options, and moreover, suffer from unsupportive public policies. Furthermore, smallholder African women farmers often do not get paid for the farm work that they do, nor do they always earn and control the income from sales, a factor that may affect their incentives to effectively participate in agricultural production. Research also shows that development policies and practices often exacerbate the situation as they do not offer women farmers equal access to development resources, training and information, thereby limiting their opportunities and ability to contribute to agricultural development, food security and poverty reduction. The household and societal pay-offs to reducing women's constraints in productive activities are significant. Closing the agricultural gender gap would result in significant gains for the agricultural sector as well as society as a whole. Increasing the opportunities for women can have a powerful impact on productivity and agricultural-led growth. Women are just as efficient agricultural producers as men and can achieve similar yields when given access to resources, including training and services.
ABSTRACT Women play a very vital role in household food security in most developing countries including Ghana. However, their contribution in this constrained by a number of socio-cultural and economic barriers. This study therefore seeks to assess women’s contribution to household food security and determine the barriers that are checking their optimum output in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality. Observations, focus group discussions, interviews, and questionnaires were used as primary data collection tools. Other relevant data from secondary sources such as documentaries from the Tono irrigation project, journals articles and books were used to gather historical information for the analysis. Purposive sampling was used to select 160 participants and respondents from 2049 women in six communities for the study. The findings of the study showed that 57.3% to contribute to household food security out of this 84.4% are into agricultural production. About 84% (83.8%) of the respondents indicated that they undertake crop production, with 81.25% of this cultivating groundnut. Also 75.63 indicated that they cultivate rice. The study further revealed that 76.25% and 65.63% of the respondents were into beans and maize production respectively. Only 20% were into other crops not stated. About 82% were engaged in animal production as well. Forty three percent (43%) were engaged in food processing, 37% in farm labour services and 20% in trading in farm produce. The constraints facing women were non- involvement of women in traditional rituals, none inclusion in community decision- making process. The contribution of women was however, significant achieving food security. About 93% were aware of government policies in place to enhance women participation in food security. Women farmers in the Municipality produce more than three-quarters of the District’s basic food, manage some two-thirds of marketing and at least one half the activities required for storing food and raising animals. Relevant bodies may therefore be encouraged to intensify advocacy in this regard. Keywords: Agro-Pastoral, Challenge, Economic, Food Security, Women
Minding the gap in agriculture and food security
Agricultural Commercialization, Gender Equality and the Right to Food
However, their contribution is hardly recognized (Tsikata, 2016). Thus, Apusigah finds, from a study in Northern Ghana, that women are seen as farm hands who play specialized roles in on-farm activities, and non-farm hands are perceived largely as non-productive and at best as reproductive (Apusigah, 2009). This leads to gaps in women's access to and control over productive resources. Gender analysis conducted in the agriculture sector has identified gender gaps in institutional arrangements and implementation procedures; in access to and control over land; and in access to credit and financial services (NETRIGHT, 2014). Land has been a long-standing issue of debate aggravated by a lack of gender-disaggregated data required to inform policy. The report on the seventh round of the Ghana Living Standard Survey (GSS, 2019), for instance, does not disaggregate modes of land acquisition by sharecropping, inheritance, tenancy, purchase, right of user or husband's land. In terms of access to credit, the report shows that only 6.2% of the female population, as compared to 22.6% of men, are likely to get access to agricultural credit (GSS, 2019, p. 238). This limits women's access to technology, making it difficult to purchase or seek the services of tractors, processors, transportation, or labour (Duncan, 2004, p. 69). In addition to limited access to credit and technology, the USAID Ghana Gender Analysis identifies ' asymmetries in negotiating fair prices' and ' low participation in agri-business' (Britt et al., 2020). These constraints affect women's economic activities and create gender gaps in labour force participation. Given decades of attention to gender equality in international policymaking, why do these inequalities persist? In this chapter, we argue that there are substantial gender gaps not only in agricultural practices, but also in agricultural policy processes. With increasing literature on the inequalities between women and men, understanding how women farmers participate in policy processes and how gender mainstreaming is implemented is relevant to explaining the persistence of gender gaps. The chapter is based on research undertaken by DEMETER on gender equality and food security outcomes of land and agricultural commercialization, policymaking, and implementation processes. It analyses processes of agricultural policymaking, with particular emphasis on FASDEP II, the second iteration of Ghana's Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy, initiated in 2008, 1 and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP). It also examines strategies used to mainstream gender in agricultural policy, and possible gaps therein. It draws on 39 interviews with stakeholders from academia, civil society organizations, development partners, the government, trade union organizations, and associations of farmer groups in various agricultural sub-sectors. Data was transcribed and thematic analysis was conducted using Nvivo. The chapter is organized as follows: Section II presents the literature review and theoretical framework that underpins the study. It provides a brief on the push for the institutionalization of gender mainstreaming in organizations with the aim to bring about change in decision-making processes. The