Empowerment is the key: women, agriculture, and salvation
The term empowerment first appeared in the 1950s in some U.S. policy studies. The word indicates a set of actions and interventions aimed at strengthening the power of choice of individuals, increasing their possibilities and responsibilities, and improving their knowledge and skills. It is therefore not at all surprising that it is often associated, almost by analogy, with women: one of the groups that, historically, has been most deprived of social and civil rights. Foremost among them is work, an indisputable conduit of freedom. Despite the mildly encouraging results recorded in the latest UN Women report, the data regarding women’s employment is still outside the bounds of normality, even in major employment sectors. In fact, according to a recent FAO report, The Status of Women in Agrifood Systems, which analyzes the status of women throughout the system’s supply chain — from production to consumption –, the agri-food sector is one of the main sources of employment for women worldwide (36 percent), with a percentage number very close to that of men (38 percent).
Nevertheless, the stigma of gender inequality extends to this field as well: women generally have marginal roles, lower wages with worse working conditions, and irregular, part-time, low-skilled, and labor-intensive jobs. There is less security over control and ownership of land and access to training and credit. For every dollar paid to a man in stable wage employment in the sector, 82 cents is the earnings of a woman. A bleak picture, then, indeed. Even more so considering the many countries where agribusiness systems are a much more important source of livelihood for the female gender than for the male. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 66 percent of the female population is employed in the sector. Inadequate education, limited access to infrastructure, and high unpaid workloads severely limit women’s opportunities for off-farm work. There is a similar situation in Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, where about half of the sector’s workforce is female. And in Italy?
Data from the 7th General Census of Agriculture published by Istat shows a decline, compared to previous years, in the number of women employed in agriculture: 30 percent of the total workforce. However, the participation of women in managerial roles has strengthened: 31.5 percent of farm managers are women; and the highest percentage is recorded in the South, with a notable presence of women farmers in the region of Molise (40 percent). However, although the census confirms that, compared to other economic sectors, agriculture in Italy is characterized by less gender inequality, the gap to be bridged is still very wide. Even with just this brief overview, it is clear that globally in the agribusiness sector, women have a significant role; and that they are therefore critical resources, increasingly aware of their value. Although the data show us a situation still marred by gender gap-especially when viewed from a global perspective, there are an increasing number of examples of women who, by blending science, knowledge, creativity, and innovation, are performing actions of great impact in the agribusiness sector, contributing to the formation of an increasingly competitive market. The presence of women in agriculture — as in any kind of profession — must be considered aprioristically over any ethical evaluation: the right — which is always freedom — is and must be taken for granted. Support for the sector, then, must not only be seen as a positive contribution to the cause of gender equality, but rather as a means of enriching, including in terms of values, a gradually growing market.
Indeed, promoting women’s empowerment would bring widespread environmental, economic, political, and cultural benefits. The FAO declares it black and white: gender equality in the agribusiness sector is not only worth $1 trillion to the entire global economy, but can save 45 million people affected by food insecurity, which, as the latest IPCC report also shows, is gradually and frighteningly increasing for women (the gap has reached 4.3 percent, by 2021).
The FAO report highlights the enormous benefits generated by projects that promote women’s empowerment in the sector, which are greater than those of initiatives that include it across the board. Because more than half of bilateral funding for agriculture and rural development already incorporates the gender dimension, but only 6 percent consider it crucial. If half of the small-scale producers could benefit from development interventions focused on women’s empowerment, there would be an increase in income for about 58 million people and “resilience” for another 235 million people. The consequences? Efficiency and sustainability (not just environmental) of agrifood systems, and widespread well-being.
The EWA — Empowering Women in Agrifood program fits precisely into that design. It is an initiative of EIT Food, in collaboration with Future Food Institute and Dock3, promoted in eleven countries (Estonia, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Romania, and Ukraine). Its goal? To bring out the extraordinary potential of female entrepreneurship in solving some of the most important challenges in the agribusiness sector: overcoming the still-existing gender gap, further promoting women in leadership positions, and increasing the number of women-led start-ups. For six months, ten women, at the helm of a company that is already established or has an idea to be implemented, will undergo a training course, taught by the Future Food Institute and Dock3, and will be paired with mentors who will accompany them along the path of entrepreneurial development. Participants will also gain access to the EWA Community and the EIT FoodHIVE network. There will be only two winners of a cash prize; but surely ten women will benefit from a program that has been enhancing the enormous contribution made by women to an essential and strategic sector for years now. Applications are open until June 12 via this link.
Referring to the FAO report again, “empowerment is the key”: and it is even so — as the data shows — for the health of humans and the planet. Because, just as with the cultivation of the soil, the regeneration of our Earth — that now is more necessary than ever, as every ecosystem, be it environmental or human, screams at us — cannot take place in a degraded environment. The absence of inclusion, equality, and equality is always degradation. Protecting, valuing, and empowering women in a sector, such as agribusiness, that literally feeds our planet is something that can no longer be postponed.
The stakes are the highest possible: the future — which is always at stake when it comes to freedom.
The Future Food Institute is an international social enterprise that believes climate change is at the end of your fork. By harnessing the power of its global ecosystem of partners, innovators, researchers, educators, and entrepreneurs, FFI aims to sustainably improve life on Earth through transformation of global food systems.
Through an integral ecological regeneration approach, FF trains the next generation of changemakers, empowers communities, and engages government and industry in actionable innovation, catalyzing progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Learn more at futurefoodinsitute.org, join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Or attend a program through the Future Food Academy!
