This document discusses women's participation in agriculture. It notes that women make up a large portion of the agricultural labor force in many parts of the world, producing up to 80% of the food in some developing countries. However, women face numerous challenges including limited access to resources like land, credit, technology and extension services compared to men. They are also subject to legal and socio-cultural norms that can hinder their participation and success in agriculture. The document argues that without women's significant contributions, most rural agricultural practices would not be economically viable. It concludes that women work predominantly in agriculture to sustain their country's economy and development through moral practices.

1. ETHICAL ISSUES ON WOMEN
PARTICIPATION IN
AGRICULTURE
WALLACE MUKOKA B1851322
MITCHELE R LANKENI B1953100

2. WHY WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE?
• ERADICATING POVERTY
• ENSURING FOOD SECURITY
• PROMOTING THEIR OWN WELL BEING
• THEIR INCREASING STAKE IN AGRICULTURE
• DECREASING ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION
• OWNERSHIP IN LIVESTOCK, LAND , ETC.
Statistics:
• While only 53% of the male population is involved in agriculture, the corresponding
numbers for the female population was a 85% of all rural female workers.
• SOURCE: REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE WORKING GROUP GENDER ISSUE, PRIS, PPPS, INNOVATIVE
FINANCE AND MICROFINANCE IN AGRICULTURE IN THE 11TH FIVE YEAR APPROACH PLAN

3. • “WHERE WOMEN ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF FARMING
AND/OR AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAINS, FAILURE TO RELEASE
THEIR FULL POTENTIAL IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO
SLOW GROWTH, POVERTY AND FOOD INSECURITY.”
REF; AGRICULTURE FOR DEVELOPMENT – 2008 WORLD
DEVELOPMENT REPORT
• CAMEROON: WOMEN PROVIDE MORE THAN 75% OF AGRICULTURAL
LABOR
• UGANDA: WOMEN ACCOUNT FOR ¾ AGRICULTURAL LABORERS
AND 9/10 FOOD PRODUCING FARMERS

4. DEFINITIONS
• ETHICS.- AN AREA OF STUDY THAT DEALS WITH IDEAS OF WHAT IS GOOD
AND WHAT IS BAD. OVERALL BEHAVIOR AND PRACTICES (RESS P 2002)
• ACCORDING TO AKWA ET AL (2005) ETHICS ARE DEFINED AS RULES OF
BEHAVIOR BASED ON IDEAS ABOUT WHAT IS MORALLY RIGHT AND
WRONG.
• AGRICULTURE- THE SCIENCE ART OF CULTIVATING THE SOIL AND ANIMAL
REARING (HENDERSON ET AL 2000)
• PARTICIPATION- IS THE ART OF TAKING PART OR SHARING SOMETHING
(RESS P 2002)

5. A SNAP SHOT
• WOMEN CONSTITUTE A GREAT DEAL OF THE LABOR FORCE IN AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAINS
MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD
• RURAL WOMEN PRODUCE 50% OF THE WORLD’S FOOD
• 60-80% OF THE FOOD IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (FAO)
• WOMEN MORE LIKELY THAN MEN TO SPEND INCOME IN WELL-BEING
• GREATER PROPENSITY TO BUY FOODS OVER NON-FOODS;
• ACQUIRE MORE NUTRITIOUS FOODS;
• TEND TO SPEND MORE IN KIDS EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE.
• BUT, COMPARED TO MEN - WOMEN RECEIVE A LESS-THAN-PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF
INVESTMENT IN AGRICULTURE AND UNEQUAL ACCESS TO RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES,
POLITICAL VOICE

6. • This statistic seems to have originated in an early study
from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
which states: “Few persons would argue against the
estimate that women are responsible for 60-80 percent of
the agricultural labour supplied on the continent of
Africa….” (UNECA, 1972).
• Agriculture has become one of the major economic activity
which accelerates country’s fiscal taking for instance in
Zimbabwe. In this women are playing a vital role by being
greatly involved in agriculture. This will be exaggerated as
the presentation unveils.

7. THE MYTH AND FACT ABOUT WOMEN
MYTH 1: WOMEN’S ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE ROOTED IN
HOUSEHOLD WORK
FACT 1: WOMEN CONTRIBUTE TO AGRICULTURE AND OTHER ECONOMIC
ACTIVITIES
MYTH 2: WOMEN WORK EXCLUSIVELY AS SUBSISTENCE FARMERS
FACT 2: WOMEN CONTRIBUTE LABOR TO BOTH SUBSISTENCE AND CASH
CROPS
- BUT HAVE LESS CONTROL OVER RESOURCES.

8. LIMITATIONS
• LIMITED ACCESS TO LAND AND TENURE SECURITY
• WOMEN FARM SMALLER AND MORE DISPERSED PLOTS
• LESS LIKELY TO HOLD TITLES
• LEGAL AND SOCIO-CULTURAL NORMS
• LAND REFORM CAN REINFORCE BIAS AGAINST WOMEN
• LIMITED/INADEQUATE EXTENSION
• LESS CONTACT WITH EXTENSION SERVICES
• EXTENSION AGENTS OFTEN MEN VS. CULTURE FACTORS
• MESSAGES/DELIVERY IGNORING WOMEN’S WORKLOAD, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND
CONSTRAINTS

9. • Low technology
– Limited access, cultural restrictions in use
– Women crops and livestock regarded as low priority for research
• Limited access to finance
– High transaction costs
– Limited education and mobility
– Social and cultural barriers
– Collateral requirements, e.g., land title

10. • Women participate in livestock production
• Women are capable of distributing the goods which they
produce in their fields for instance some women in
Zimbabwe are seen in tobacco auction floors.
• Women are responsible in marketing their agricultural
products that is either raw or finished products.
• [human development report 1995 by UNDP

11. • FARMING ACTIVITIES
• ABOUT 50% OF WOMEN ARE INVOLVED IN CROP PLANTING ESP IN THE
RURAL AREAS WHERE WOMEN WOKE UP EARLY AND DO FARMING WHILE
MEN ARE SLEEPING.
• WOMEN ARE INVOLVED IN HORTICULTURE-GROWING OF FLOWERS FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES THAT SUPPLEMENT DIET LEADING TO BETTER HEALTH
BECAUSE OF THE CULTURE THAT WOMEN SHOULD DO HORTICULTURE IN
ORDER TO BEAUTIFY THEIR HOMES.

12. • Weeding
• In African countries like Zimbabwe 70% of the
weeding and hoeing processes are done by women
bcz they take every farming activity seriously
• Harvesting
• Women are more into farms hence they see crops
that are ready to harvest so by this in rural areas
women are seeing involved harvesting of agric
produce e.g. Mazoe citrus ,maize fields and nuts.

13. SOURCE OF LABOUR
DUE TO URBANIZATION, WHILE MEN ARE CONCENTRATING ON OTHER
PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS MINING, CONSTRUCTION ETC., WOMEN
OVERTAKE IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR LEADING TO A GENERAL
DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY.

14. • WOMEN SEEN IN THE FRONT DOOR
• WOMEN AS MOTHERS AND CARE GIVERS ARE OF MUCH INVOLVEMENT IN
ACTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS FOR FOOD PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY FORCING
GOVERNMENTS TO CONCENTRATE MORE ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
AND SYSTEMS AND POLICIES FOR EXAMPLE IN FRANCE WOMEN MARCH FOR
FOOD (HENDERSON ET AL 2000)

15. • CHILD BEARING
• WOMEN ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILD BEARING AND BY THIS IT INCREASE
THE POP OF THE COUNTRY HENCE THERE IS PROVISION OF LABOUR
• DECREASING ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION
• AS WOMEN MAKE UP THE 80 % OF THE POP AND 80 % OF THE POP ARE IN
RURAL AREAS HENCE BY THIS WOMEN WORKING IN FARMS DECREASE
ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION LIKE HIRING MACHINERY IN FARMING

16. • PROMOTING THEIR OWN WELL BEING
• WOMEN ARE PROUD TO BE WOMEN AND THIS MOTIVATE THEM TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THEIR
WELL BEING.
• THEY BELIEVE A GOOD WOMEN IS SEEN BY HER WELL BEING AND THE WELL
BEING IS FOUND BY PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURE SECTOR.

17. CONCLUSION
• WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURE IS EXTENSIVE.
• WITHOUT FEMALE INPUT MOST RURAL AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES WOULD
CEASE TO BE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE
• WOMEN WORK PREDOMINANTLY IN THE AGRICULTURAL FIELD TO SUSTAIN
COUNTRY'S ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THEIR GOOD MORAL
PRACTICES.

18. REFERENCES
• ACHARYA, M. AND L. BENNETT. 1982. WOMEN AND THE SUBSISTENCE SECTOR: ECONOMIC
PARTICIPATION AND HOUSEHOLD DECISION-MAKING IN NEPAL. WORLD BANK STAFF WORKING
PAPERS, NUMBER 526.
• ADDATI, L. AND N. CASSIRER. 2008. EQUAL SHARING OF RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN WOMEN AND
MEN, INCLUDING CARE GIVING IN THE CONTEXT OF HIV/AIDS. PAPER PREPARED FOR THE EXPERT
GROUP MEETING ON THE EQUAL SHARING OF RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN,
INCLUDING CARE GIVING IN THE CONTEXT OF HIV/AIDS, ORGANIZED BY THE UNITED NATIONS
DIVISION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN, GENEVA.
• ANRÍQUEZ, G. 2010. DEMYSTIFYING THE AGRICULTURAL FEMINIZATION MYTH AND THE GENDER
BURDEN. BACKGROUND PAPER PREPARED FOR THE STATE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2011.
• APPLETON, S. 1996. WOMEN-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS AND HOUSEHOLD WELFARE: AN EMPIRICAL
DECONSTRUCTION FOR UGANDA. WORLD DEVELOPMENT, VOL. 24(12): 1811-1827.

19. • BAANANTE, C., T.P. THOMPSON AND K. ACHEAMPONG. 1999. LABOUR
CONTRIBUTIONS OF WOMEN TO CROP PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES IN THREE
REGIONS OF WEST AFRICA: AN ANALYSIS OF FARM-SURVEY DATA. INSTITUTE OF
AFRICAN STUDIES: RESEARCH REVIEW, VOL. 15(1): 80-100.
• BANK OF UGANDA. 2001. ANNUAL REPORT 2000 - 2001. KAMPALA, UGANDA.
• BENERIA, L. 1981. CONCEPTUALIZING THE LABOR FORCE: THE
UNDERESTIMATION OF WOMEN’S ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES. JOURNAL OF
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, 17(3):10-28.
• BRAVO-BAUMANN, H. 2000. GENDER AND LIVESTOCK. CAPITALISATION OF
EXPERIENCES ON LIVESTOCK PROJECTS AND GENDER. WORKING DOCUMENT.
SWISS DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION, BERN.

20. DANKIE