Helping women to become part of livestock value chains

Noluthando Ngcobo and Mamakie Lungwana, intern agricultural economists at the Agricultural Research Council, explore the challenges that women face in the South African livestock value chain.

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Global estimations indicate that of 600 million poor livestock keepers, two-thirds are rural women. Studies by the International Livestock Research Institute and partners reported that women across Africa face a fairly consistent gender ‘gap’ in access to production assets, inputs and services compared with men. The researchers further argue that promoting equal access to resources could pave a pathway in ensuring that women and men are equally prepared to cope with future challenges.

Development studies also indicate that women spend close to 90% of their income on their families. This ability of women to manage their income is reported as vital to the survival of many households.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations argues that if women were to have access to the same level of resources as men, agricultural productivity would increase by up to 30%, agricultural output in developing countries would rise by up to 4% and the number of poor people would be reduced by up to 17%. Livestock are generally acknowledged as an asset that rural women can easily own either through inheritance, markets or collective action processes.

DOCUMENTED ROLE OF SMALLHOLDER FARMING IN SOUTH AFRICA