Abstract
The inherent threats to Africa’s low agricultural growth and global competitiveness cannot be delinked from the demographics of the sector – the dominant role of women as the key agents. Despite the role and impact of women in African Agriculture, there’s still an unsettling disparity in the support they receive compared to men. Accordingly, the Empowering Women in Agriculture Initiative (EWA) was launched at the 19th AU Summit in 2012 to support women farmers by promoting their access to key resources (land, finance, technology). The initiative has the support of several African Heads of states as well as major private sector partners – Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Africa 2.0, Gender is My Agenda (GIMAC), Africa Media Initiative (AMI) and Femmes Africa Solidarite (FAS), under the coordination of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF).
One of the activities undertaken to move the initiative forward is a study commissioned in 2013 to take a more in-depth and comparative look at specific problems facing women farmers in selected (pilot) countries; and to identify existing initiatives aimed at women farmers in these countries in order to build a framework for assessing the extent that they promote their empowerment. The primary goal of the study is to provide strategic information and guidance that will assist the Partners to better grasp and contextualize the gaps in the empowerment of women in agriculture in selected countries, for necessary, targeted intervention.
Several gaps have been highlighted in the pilot with a view to carving potential niche for EWA initiatives to fill the gaps. As the Foundation is to report back to the Champions through the Chair (H.E, President Sirleaf of Liberia), the purpose of this presentation is to shed light on the EWA study and solicit contributions on the way forward to ensure good design and successful implementation of the project. How should the Foundation go about the development of the project document and how can it present policy options and guidelines for governments at country and regional levels in addressing the needs of women in agriculture in Africa.
