Independent Dialogue
Geographical focus:
India, No borders
Discussion topic outcome
GENDER EQUALITY: How might technology enable women in agriculture to be included in the decision-making process for their family thus ensuring equal representation and overall progress for the family? Equal inclusion of women in agriculture requires broader and better representation of women in the whole society. Besides being at the kitchen table, women are needed in leading positions: communication, decision-making, agricultural meetings, farmers gathering, traditionally represented by men. Men could play a crucial role, especially if they are more sensitized and aware that these kinds of ac
... Read moretions may have positive impacts on the whole family and children. But also programs and national policy can be central in making agribusiness more attractive and better designed for women. Social platforms and social marketing too can play a central role, bringing women and female farmers together, letting them exchange knowledge, and learn from each other. Success is the best tool to assess progress, not income itself, because when female farmers are successful, other women are keen on learning from their example. Increasing productivity and, most of all, tracking the percentage of women leading farms on regenerative agriculture is therefore a must. However, traditional rule division and deep patriarchal society still represent a concrete challenge as these actions are implemented. Women are traditionally seen as weak individuals, while female empowerment can be regarded as a threat. Inclusion and better representation of women in society cannot be reached without female access to schools, this is the reason why training is conceived and provided amongst the most urgent actions. It is widely known that in many developing countries education is male-centered, even though women are taking care of everything else in real life. National policies and programs should accelerate female access to education, which is strictly related to women's respect from the whole society. The urgency to reverse the current mindset characterized by male superiority over women and lack of consideration of female knowledge starts with access to education. Also how training is conceived can ease women equality: to be targeted on women, education shall focus more on the ecosystem around them. This approach can be further strengthened by increasing the number of gatherings and events on education, shaped to make women feel safe. Access to land and technologies are additional urgent actions when dealing with women’s equal entitlement. If for the land the issue starts with ownership, for technologies the challenge concerns both access and ability to use. This explains why participants stressed, among the most needed activities, the promotion of a systematic use of technologies through specific programs, in support of farming activities and to increase income, from housing improvement to better mobility. Given the severe and widespread gender digital divide, also for technologies, just as education, their design should not forget to embrace the whole environment characterizing women's daily activities. Both the housing dimension and their farming role should be therefore equally considered to reach outstanding benefits for women and the community as a whole. Read less
Action Track(s): 4
Keywords: Data & Evidence, Policy, Women & Youth Empowerment