“I believe women farmers and their labour in agriculture deserve media attention,” said panellist Disha Shetty, a science journalist, at the World Conference of Science Journalists (WCSJ) held in Pretoria from 1 to 5 December.
By Mkhululi Chimoio
“While I do not know Africa in detail, I can see from my work in India that targeted support can make a big difference. Women farmers must have access to resources, markets and opportunities to lead, not just to survive.”
Shetty spoke with passion about including women’s voices in stories of agriculture.
“One thing I do as a journalist is to ensure all my stories have women’s voices. I try not to present women only as victims but also as experts. Their experiences and knowledge are crucial for solutions that work,” she said.
She stressed that understanding women’s unpaid care work at home is equally important.
“Asking about household responsibilities helps highlight the real challenges women face and the strategies they use to overcome them,” she said.
In India, the government has begun implementing programmes to enable women economically, said Shetty. “Women are encouraged to open their own bank accounts, and funds are transferred directly to them. Homeowners get lower interest rates for home loans. Though ownership is still low compared with men, these policies help women to have more control over their lives,” she explained. Shetty said that African countries could benefit from such policies to better enhance women’s economic independence and farming capabilities.
Challenges and Successes of Women Farmers in Africa
This was the first time in WCSJ’s 33-year history that the flagship event was held in Africa. Delegates from around the world gathered at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) International Convention Centre in Pretoria for the conference, themed “Science journalism and social justice: journalism that builds understanding and resilience”. Intersections of science, development and social equity were high on the agenda of the conference, including women’s roles within agriculture and food security.
Diane Sibanda, chairperson of the Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers’ Forum (ESAFF), shared some challenges and successes of women farmers in Africa.
“Women are at the centre of agriculture but many barriers limit their effect,” Sibanda said. ESAFF works in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Africa to strengthen women’s land rights, financial access and leadership opportunities.
Sibanda described programmes that empower women farmers.
“We run legal literacy workshops and community campaigns to secure land rights. We help women form savings groups and link them to microfinance opportunities. Training in financial planning allows them to grow small businesses and access credit,” she said.
She emphasised that these programmes are measured carefully.
“We track the number of women accessing finance, their repayment rates and how their incomes and productivity improve,” she said.
She also underlined cultural barriers: “Household responsibilities and social norms often limit women’s mobility and decision-making. They may produce food, but men often control the income and decisions about sales. We try to change this by training women in leadership and encouraging their representation in cooperatives and farmer organisations,” Sibanda said.
She added that gender-sensitive agriculture strengthens resilience.
“When women have land, knowledge and decision-making power, they adopt climate-smart practices more quickly. They reinvest income in food and education, improving household nutrition and stability. Women’s groups also provide mutual support during crises, which benefits the whole community,” she said.
She believes that with coordinated public, private and community support, African women farmers can fully contribute to agricultural development and food security.
Also read: Forward-thinking initiative helps 25 rural women farmers crack market barriers
A Research Perspective
Dr Colleta Gandidzanwa, who lectures in agricultural economics at the University of Pretoria, offered a research perspective: “Women form nearly half of the agrifood workforce in sub-Saharan Africa, yet most are working in informal, poorly paid jobs without social protection.”
The feminisation of agriculture, she explained, is directly associated with poverty, food insecurity and climate vulnerability because women carry heavy responsibilities without adequate resources and decision-making power.
According to Dr Gandidzanwa, structural gaps still remain critical.
“Land ownership is a major issue. Men are more likely to own land in 28 of 33 sub-Saharan countries. Patriarchal norms and customary laws restrict women’s rights to control or inherit land. Women also have less say in household and community decision-making,” she said.
Productivity differences between male- and female-managed farms exist, largely because of a lack of equal access to land, inputs, technology and extension services. In Malawi, for instance, plots managed by women produced 25% less because of limited resources, not capability.
She said the most successful interventions are holistic and include men. “Community-based programmes that engage men and women, improve access to resources and challenge harmful social norms work best. Women gain control over land, income and decision-making, which improves household and community resilience,” Dr Gandidzanwa said.
Also read: 50 women graduate from Corteva’s SoilSistas programme in Limpopo
The Enormous Potential of Women Across Africa
A 2025 report from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on gender inequalities in sub-Saharan Africa titled “The status of women in agrifood systems in sub-Saharan Africa” further illustrates this point. The report noted that although women power nearly half of the agrifood workforce, women are underpaid, underrecognised and undersupported. The major challenges that hinder women are barriers to land, credit, technology, extension services and markets. High food insecurity exacerbated gender inequality and exposed women and girls to risks such as gender-based violence and unsafe coping strategies.
The report confirms that women’s participation is indispensable in food security, climate adaptation and sustainable development. Policies and investments focused on prioritising women in agriculture yield measurable benefits. The FAO recommends guaranteeing the land and asset rights of women, enhancing financial inclusion, providing training and extension services, and offering market opportunities led by women. Coherence in policy and social support will also be critical in tapping into the boundless potential of women across the continent.
Returning to Shetty’s perspective, her comments now take on a broader meaning for Africa. She believes women farmers can flourish if policies, programmes and social support systems provide them with the instruments to lead.
“My role as a journalist is to highlight how various policies affect women, and what the gaps are. Through my reporting I can make sure their voices are heard,” she said.
Throughout the interviews and conference discussions, the message was clear: promoting women farmers is not only about being fair or equipping them with equal rights. It is a real investment in food security, climate resilience and economic growth. African women farmers have the potential to transform their communities, but they urgently need support. Programmes like those run by ESAFF, combined with research-backed policy measures and broader social reforms, can provide that support. The evidence speaks for itself: when women thrive, whole communities are lifted.
WCSJ provided a platform to amplify these voices, bringing together journalists, scientists and experts from around the world. The conference underlined that gender equality in agriculture is both a social justice issue and a development priority. As Shetty encouraged, African women farmers can lead the way towards resilient, productive and equitable food systems if their potential is recognised, their voices are amplified and their work is supported.
Also read: ‘The soil is generous and the sun is faithful’ – Limpopo farmer Thandekile Alinah Mosi on building a farming legacy
