Women’s Role in Agriculture and Rural Development: Challenges, Contributions, and Prospects for Sustainable Growth

Abstract

Women in agriculture and rural development are important to the world at large because their contribution to issues of food security, poverty alleviation and resiliency in rural areas is very important. Though they are of vital importance to all of these, women are often restricted through systemic barriers including limited access to land, financial services, technology and education. This text will be investigating the role of women in agriculture, the contribution that they make to the economy and society, barriers to overcome inequalities, and the potential that women farmers have to be empowered to act as change makers for sustainable rural development. Drawing on both global and regional experience, we will stress the importance of gender responsive agricultural policies and inclusive method of conducting agriculture, on the contrary of excluding women, to harness the ability of women to act as change makers in rural economies.