Relevance and feasibility of women's involvement in promoting sustainable food production and security in Southern Africa

Authors

  • Never Assan Zimbabwe open University, faculty Of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture Management, Bulawayo region, Box 3550, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18472/SustDeb.v5n2.2014.10757

Keywords:

Women, Food Production, Food Security, Southern Africa

Abstract

Harnessing women’s potential for food production and security has been a challenge in Southern Africa. The face of food production in Southern Africa is often female, but more often than not, their roles are generally undervalued and constrained by gender inequalities and limitations on their access to resources, services, and market opportunities. This chapter explores how women involvement in food production can have a positive impact on food security in Southern Africa. The gender aspect of food security assume significance, as it is widely recognized that women are the custodian of food production in many communities in Southern Africa. There is a tendency of men and women participating unevenly in food production, have unequal access to productive resources and exhibit different levels of engagement in rural, urban and home-based food production. Despite this anomaly, there is still a common understanding that food production needs to be increased in order to cope with the increased human population and achieving food security in the region. With this in mind, food production and security have emerged as key development targets in Southern Africa. This has propelled the urgent need for promoting food production, reducing food insecurity and poverty reduction in its totality. One of the factors contributing to perpetual low food production and insecurity has been gender discrimination and/or lack of participation of women in agricultural programs and projects. In this chapter there is an attempt to describe the impact of gender-based discrimination on food production and its implication on food security. The indispensable role and challenges faced by women in food production are highlighted. The need to invest in education and training of women to support food production systems in order to accrue maximum benefit is acknowledged. In this regard, it is imperative that planning and implementation of any food production programs focusing on improving food security should be based on gender sensitive policies. Policies which give women due recognition as far as food production decision making processes are concerned are sought. The chapter concludes with the understanding that involvement of women in food production becomes a key component of addressing food insecurity in Southern Africa. The vulnerability of people in Southern Africa to food insecurity depends both on measures that can be implemented in a given context and the capacity of families, and women in particular, to respond to food shortages. It is important, therefore that food security remains high on the regional development agenda. The region should prioritize appropriate interventions which help women fully participate in food production and develop sustainable livelihoods.

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Author Biography

Never Assan, Zimbabwe open University, faculty Of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture Management, Bulawayo region, Box 3550, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Never Assan is an Associate Professor of Animal Production at the Zimbabwe Open University. Currently is a Program Coordinator of the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Management in the Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture at Bulawayo Region. Previously worked for Matopos Research Station as the Head of Indigenous Cattle Improvement Program. Published 6 books and more than 64 research papers in referred journals related to cattle, goats and sheep production.

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Published

2014-09-09

How to Cite

Assan, N. (2014). Relevance and feasibility of women’s involvement in promoting sustainable food production and security in Southern Africa. Sustainability in Debate, 5(2), 86–97. https://doi.org/10.18472/SustDeb.v5n2.2014.10757

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