Document Abstract
Published:
2009
Gender equity in agriculture and rural development: a quick guide to gender mainstreaming in FAO framework
Outlining the gender dimensions of agriculture and rural development
Mainstreaming gender equity has become a strategic objective of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). To achieve FAO’s vision of a world free of hunger and malnutrition, its new strategic framework places gender equity alongside such “traditional” key concerns as raising levels of nutrition and the sustainable intensification of crop production. The framework mainstreams gender equity in all of FAO’s programmes. This quick guide outlines the gender dimensions of each strategic objective, and FAO actions to achieve gender equity through agriculture and rural development.
The guide starts by defining the FAO's interpretation of what gender is and why gender equity is of central importance to agricultural and rural development. Gender is seen to refer to qualities or characteristics that society ascribes to each sex. For example, in traditional rural societies, commercial agricultural production is mainly a male responsibility. Rural women have primary responsibility for maintaining the household including domestic and care responsibilities. However women and girls also often play an important, largely unpaid, role in agriculture growing food crops, which generates family income and household food security. However this role is often undervalued and overlooked, with women regarded as 'helpers' rather than viable farmers and economic agents in their own right. Also with the increasing commercialisation of agriculture, the dominant position of men is in this sector is increasing.
According to the FAO, gender equity means fairness and impartiality in the treatment of women and men, according to their respective needs. FAO has placed gender equity in access to resources, goods, services and decision-making among its key strategic objectives in agriculture and rural development for the next 10 years. Other strategic objectives address issues of gender equity within crops, livestock, fisheries, forests, natural resources, employment and livelihoods, food security and nutrition, emergencies and investment. The FAO's targets for food security and nutrition between 2008 – 2013 include:
The guide starts by defining the FAO's interpretation of what gender is and why gender equity is of central importance to agricultural and rural development. Gender is seen to refer to qualities or characteristics that society ascribes to each sex. For example, in traditional rural societies, commercial agricultural production is mainly a male responsibility. Rural women have primary responsibility for maintaining the household including domestic and care responsibilities. However women and girls also often play an important, largely unpaid, role in agriculture growing food crops, which generates family income and household food security. However this role is often undervalued and overlooked, with women regarded as 'helpers' rather than viable farmers and economic agents in their own right. Also with the increasing commercialisation of agriculture, the dominant position of men is in this sector is increasing.
According to the FAO, gender equity means fairness and impartiality in the treatment of women and men, according to their respective needs. FAO has placed gender equity in access to resources, goods, services and decision-making among its key strategic objectives in agriculture and rural development for the next 10 years. Other strategic objectives address issues of gender equity within crops, livestock, fisheries, forests, natural resources, employment and livelihoods, food security and nutrition, emergencies and investment. The FAO's targets for food security and nutrition between 2008 – 2013 include:
- Promote sector policies and programmes for nutritional improvement at national and community-levels that recognise gender-defined needs, opportunities and constraints.
- Develop gender-sensitive nutrition education initiatives, training programmes and materials that target men, women, girls and boys.
- To reduce disease outbreaks caused by home-prepared food, develop awareness and educational materials on household handling of food.
- Improve the quality and safety of street foods through training for men and women vendors in basic hygiene.
- Promote assessments of nutrient requirements, dietary intakes and nutritional status that analyse gender, age and development stage.
