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Agricultural extension for women farmers in Africa

Author

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  • Saito, Katrine A.
  • Weidemann, C. Jean

Abstract

Women are responsible for at least 70 percent of food staple production in Africa. They are also important in other agricultural activities, including food processing and marketing, cash cropping and animal husbandry. Women's involvement is significant not only in terms of their labor input, but also in terms of their decision-making authority. This paper proposes a series of operational guidelines on how to provide agricultural extension services in a cost-effective way to women farmers. All small-scale farmers, regardless of gender, face constraints, but the focus here is on women farmers in order to foster a better understanding of the particular gender-related barriers confronting women and the strategies needed to overcome them. Attention is concentrated on sub-Saharan Africa in view of the crucial role of women in agriculture throughout the sub-continent. This paper addresses the question of why women need help -- the role women have in agriculture and the particular constraints they face in terms of access to resources and information. It examines the information needed to modify extension systems to better reach women farmers, to modify the focus of research to address women's activities and to monitor and evaluate programs. The paper also deals with the transmission of the extension message to women farmers and the formulation of the message to be delivered, and the linkage between extension and agricultural research and technology.

Suggested Citation

  • Saito, Katrine A. & Weidemann, C. Jean, 1990. "Agricultural extension for women farmers in Africa," Policy Research Working Paper Series 398, The World Bank.
  • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:398
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Schultz, T. Paul, 1989. "Women and development : objectives, frameworks, and policy interventions," Policy Research Working Paper Series 200, The World Bank.
    2. Lockheed, Marlaine E & Jamison, Dean T & Lau, Lawrence J, 1980. "Farmer Education and Farm Efficiency: A Survey," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 29(1), pages 37-76, October.
    3. Moock, Peter R, 1981. "Education and Technical Efficiency in Small-Farm Production," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 29(4), pages 723-739, July.
    4. von Braun, Joachim & Webb, Patrick J R, 1989. "The Impact of New Crop Technology on the Agricultural Division of Labor in a West African Setting," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 37(3), pages 513-534, April.
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    Cited by:

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    2. B Kelsey Jack, "undated". "Market Inefficiencies and the Adoption of Agricultural Technologies in Developing Countries," CID Working Papers 50, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    3. Kassie, Menale & Ndiritu, Simon Wagura & Stage, Jesper, 2014. "What Determines Gender Inequality in Household Food Security in Kenya? Application of Exogenous Switching Treatment Regression," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 153-171.
    4. Ajani, Olubunmi Idowu Yetunde, 2009. "Gender dimensions of agriculture, poverty, nutrition and food security in Nigeria:," NSSP working papers 5, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Malongo R.S. Mlozi, 1997. "Impacts of urban agriculture in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 115-124, June.
    6. Alene, Arega D. & Manyong, Victor M. & Omanya, Gospel O. & Mignouna, Hodeba D. & Bokanga, Mpoko & Odhiambo, George D., 2008. "Economic Efficiency and Supply Response of Women as Farm Managers: Comparative Evidence from Western Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 1247-1260, July.
    7. Sheryl Hendriks & J Maryann Green, 1999. "The role of home economics in agricultural extension," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(3), pages 489-500.
    8. Grace Denny Doku & Joyce Mamle Mawusi Obubuafo & Margaret Aba Sam Hagan, 2020. "Vegetable Production Challenges in Kpando Municipality: Perspective of Women Farmers," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation, Macrothink Institute, Journal of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation, vol. 7(1), pages 1-29, December.
    9. Due, Jean M. & Magayane, Flavianus & Temu, Anna A., 1997. "Gender again--views of female agricultural extension officers by smallholder farmers in Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 713-725, May.
    10. repec:zib:zbseps:v:1:y:2022:i:1:p:25-28 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Murage, A.W. & Pittchar, J.O. & Midega, C.A.O. & Onyango, C.O. & Pickett, J.A. & Khan, Z.R., 2016. "Gender appropriateness of field days in knowledge generation and adoption of push-pull technology in eastern Africa," 2016 Fifth International Conference, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 246277, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    12. Depetris Chauvin, Nicolas & Porto, Guido G., 2011. "Market Competition in Export Cash Crops and Farm Income," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126159, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    13. Rae Lesser Blumberg, 2008. "Women’s Economic Empowerment as the “Magic Potion†of Development?," Working Papers id:1390, eSocialSciences.
    14. Seebens, Holger, 2008. "One size fits all? Female Headed Households, Income Risk, and Access to Resources," 2008 International Congress, August 26-29, 2008, Ghent, Belgium 43609, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    15. Joel Negin & Roseline Remans & Susan Karuti & Jessica Fanzo, 2009. "Integrating a broader notion of food security and gender empowerment into the African Green Revolution," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 1(3), pages 351-360, September.
    16. Mehra, Rekha & Gammage, Sarah, 1999. "Trends, Countertrends, and Gaps in Women's Employment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 533-550, March.
    17. Egbuna, Ngozi, 2005. "Agricultural Extension for the Invisible Actors in Hunger Drama in Rural Nigeria," 15th Congress, Campinas SP, Brazil, August 14-19, 2005 24280, International Farm Management Association.
    18. Hugh Waddington & Birte Snilstveit & Jorge Hombrados & Martina Vojtkova & Daniel Phillips & Philip Davies & Howard White, 2014. "Farmer Field Schools for Improving Farming Practices and Farmer Outcomes: A Systematic Review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(1), pages -335.
    19. Lopokoiyit, M. C. & Onyango, C. & Kibett, Joash K. & Langat, B.K., 2012. "Human Resource Development in Agriculture Extension and Advisory Services in Kenya," 2012 Eighth AFMA Congress, November 25-29, 2012, Nairobi, Kenya 159409, African Farm Management Association (AFMA).

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