By Beryl Bridgit Odhiambo | berylbridgitodhaiambo@gmail.com
Unpaid care and domestic responsibilities hinder women’s participation in agriculture, a researcher has said.
While addressing participants at this years International Women’s Day celebration, Dr Susan Kaaria, director African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) noted that many women spend a significant amount of time on household chores which limits their ability to fully engage in agricultural production, access to resources and to take advantage of economic opportunities within the sector.
“Over 90% of women’s work in agriculture are not formalised and the credit of their work goes to their husband,” she said.
Dr Kaaria added that this scenario is usually caused by inability of women to own land which stifles women’s access to resources.
According to Dr Nicoline de Haan broad global suggests gender gaps could take over a century to close.
The event themed “rights, justice, action for all women and girls,” spotlighted farmers from ten counties in Kenya who showcased.
Farmers showcased their innovations and shared their experience in the agricultural fields with the participants.
Among the farmers was Beryl Awuor from Homa Bay County who is involved in fish farming. Awuor spoke about the challenges women face in the agricultural sector emphasising the need of greater support from AWARD to help them reap more benefits from fishing.
She appealed for provision of refrigerators as a resource to enhance women’s work in fish farming explaining that proper storage facilities would help them to preserve fish for a longer period before it reaches the market.
She noted that this would not only maintain quality and freshness of the fish but also assist in reducing post-harvest losses by minimizing spoilage and wastage hence women farmers would be able to increase their earnings and improve their livelihoods while strengthening their roles in the agricultural value chain.
