Strategic interventions should be informed by facts to be effective in tackling societal challenges. This rings true to the gender debate in the agricultural sector.
Many researchers (myself included) have been arguing that women should get more support if we are to boost Africa’s crop production owing to the role female farmers play.
This argument is typically premised on Food and Agriculture Organisation documents that suggest 80% of Africa’s agricultural production comes from small farmers, most of whom are rural women. Concurring with this notion is the World Farmers Organisation, which argues that "women comprise the largest percentage of the workforce in the African agricultural sector but do not have access and control over all land and productive resources".
Against this backdrop, the World Bank released a book this week that questions datasets and statements about Africa’s agricultural sector.
The book is entitled Agriculture in Africa: Telling Myths from Facts and covers a wide range of topics, from smallholder farmer land access to financing of agricultural inputs, labour productivity and women’s work in agriculture.
Having recently written a column on women’s contribution to the agricultural sector, I was quickly drawn to the chapter that dealt with the subject. The first thing that stood out was the notion that the figure often cited, namely that about 80% of agricultural labour input in Africa is by women, is flawed. The book puts women’s share of labour in crop production at an average of 40%, with variations across countries.
Worth noting, however, is that the data do not cover the entire continent but selected countries including Ethiopia, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. That said, these countries cover a large part of the continent’s farming zones.
Across the aforementioned countries, the highest share of women’s contribution to agricultural labour is 56% in Uganda, with the lowest being 24% in Niger. Although there is room for error, the data are nonetheless illuminating and pose bigger questions about the support systems and strategies that will be necessary to increase Africa’s food supply. Should they focus on women empowerment or include anyone who produces food?
The key takeaway from the World Bank’s book is that strategic interventions need to be backed by solid research, as incorrect assumptions could have long-term implications for society
Another salient point in the book is the need to focus on tapping into the biggest source of underutilised human capital, which is unemployed youth, to promote food production.
Overall, the key takeaway from the World Bank’s book is that strategic interventions need to be backed by solid research, as incorrect assumptions could have long-term implications for society.
For instance, based on the aforementioned labour statistics, men would find themselves at the bottom of the list for agricultural support. However, the focus should rather be at calibrating more gender-inclusive policies and prioritising youth involvement. In countries such as SA, where farmers are ageing, youth involvement in food production will be key for long-term sustainability. The commonly held view is that young people show little interest in the agricultural sector, preferring sophisticated office jobs.
At face value, this notion is plausible. But there is limited evidence to support the claim. Anecdotally, I have met a number of young South Africans who are interested in joining the agricultural sector. All ask the same questions: Where do we start? Is it possible to access productive land and mentorship?
Overall, my take on the book’s findings is that development strategies should be more inclusive across the gender and age spectrum. Then again, from a continuity perspective, perhaps the youth should be the priority.
• Sihlobo (@WandileSihlobo) is head of economic and agribusiness research at the Agricultural Business Chamber.
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