Food Security

Citation:

Deere, Carmen Diana, Susana Lastarria-Cornhiel, and Claudia Ranaboldo. 2011. Women’s Land: Reflections on Rural Women’s Access to Land in Latin America. Translated by Sara Shields. La Paz, Bolivia: Fundación Tierra.

Authors: Carmen Diana Deere, Susana Lastarria-Cornhiel, Claudia Ranaboldo

Annotation:

Topics: Agriculture, Gender, Gendered Power Relations, Gender Equality/Inequality, Governance, Indigenous, Land Grabbing, Livelihoods, Political Participation, Rights, Human Rights, Indigenous Rights, Land Rights, Property Rights, Women's Rights, Security, Food Security Regions: Americas, Central America, South America

Year: 2011

Relevant Links: Spanish version available here

Citation:

McGary, Jessica L. 2012. “Gender and the Poverty-Conflict Trap.” PhD diss., University of Arizona.

Author: Jessica L. McGary

Abstract:

Topics: Armed Conflict, Civil Wars, Economies, Economic Inequality, Poverty, Gender, Women, Men, Masculinity/ies, Femininity/ies, Health, Households, Livelihoods, Political Economies, Security, Food Security, Violence

Year: 2012

Citation:

Velayudhan, Meera. 2009. “Women’s Land Rights in South Asia: Struggles and Diverse Contexts.” Economic and Political Weekly, 74–79.

Author: Meera Velayudhan

Abstract:

In south Asia, since the 1970s, previously marginalised sections of the rural poor started to organise themselves in movements. In recent years, most of these struggles have been directed against the impact of the liberalising state on the rural poor. For the vast majority, there has been an erosion of livelihood avenues, food insecurity, a loss of assets - owing largely to the loss of their traditional access and control of natural resources. Food security is threatened by loss of biodiversity and loss of knowledge. Women who suffer the most from these trends have in all movements related to these issues, particpating intensely, widely and also in leadership roles. While many of these movements have been documented, very little is known of women claiming their rights within these movements. At the same time, many other struggles of women are ongoing for land and other resource rights. These efforts have been isolated but exchanges of experiences are growing and suggest a range of newer strategies are emerging, therby opening up possibilities for more effective response and common struggles.

Topics: Economies, Food Security, Gender, Women, Livelihoods, Political Economies, Rights, Land Rights, Women's Rights Regions: Asia, South Asia

Year: 2009

Citation:

Ogunlela, Yemisi I., and Aisha A. Mukhtar. 2009. “Gender Issues in Agriculture and Rural Development in Nigeria: The Role of Women.” Humanity & Social Sciences Journal 4 (1): 19–30.

Authors: Yemisi I. Ogunlela, Aisha A. Mukhtar

Abstract:

Most farmers in Nigeria operate at the subsistence, smallholder level in an extensive agricultural system; hence in their hands lies the country’s food security and agricultural development. Particularly striking, however, is the fact that rural women, more than their male counterparts, take the lead in agricultural activities, making up to 60-80 percent of labour force. It is ironical that their contributions to agriculture and rural development are seldom noticed. Furthermore, they have either no or minimal part in the decision-making process regarding agricultural development. Gender inequality is therefore dominant in the sector and this constitutes a bottleneck to development, calling for a review of government policies on agriculture to all the elements that place rural women farmers at a disadvantage. The women-in-agriculture programme in Nigeria, which was established in cognizance of this and the shortcoming in extension services for women farmers, has been a huge success. Women’s groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil societies have empowered and given rural women farmers a voice and effectively championed their cause. Women farmers now have better access to farm inputs and credits although many barriers remain and would have to be addressed to further enhance their role. Rural women farmers deserve better recognition and greater appreciation of their tangible contributions to agriculture and rural development and food security. Other aspects of gender issues in Nigerian agriculture are discussed.

Keywords: agriculture, food security, gender inequality, household economy, Nigeria, women farmers

Annotation:

Quotes:

“The role that women play and their position in meeting the challenges of agricultural production and development are quite dominant and prominent. Their relevance and significance, therefore, cannot be overemphasized [7, 8]. Findings from a study financed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) revealed that women make up some 60-80 percent of agricultural labour force in Nigeria [9], depending on the region and they produce two-thirds of the food crops. Yet, in spite of these, widespread assumption that men – and not women—make the key farm management decisions has prevailed. Sadly, female farmers in the country are among the voiceless, especially with respect to influencing agricultural policies. Such policies, which are aimed at increasing food security and food production, tend to either under- estimate and totally ignore women’s role in both production and the general decision-making process within the household.” (20)

“Ironically, women are known to be more involved in agricultural activities than men in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, Nigeria inclusive. As much as 73 % were involved in cash crops, arable and vegetable gardening, while post- harvest activities had 16 % and agroforestry, 15 percent [14].” (20)

“A series of studies covering African villages showed that generally, more women than men in cultivator families did agricultural work and that women were usually working more hours than the men. Furthermore, it has been noticed that female labour in production tends to be less important in societies where intensive agricultural systems are more dominant than the extensive systems.” (21)

“The role of national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in reaching the rural population in Africa is being increasingly documented. The importance of NGOs to rural women varies from country to country, as does their focus on rural issues. In most of the countries examined, the growth in recent years of NGOs and women’s associations which pay attention to gender issues has benefited rural women immensely.” (23)

“It is common knowledge that gender inequality is one of the most pervasive forms of inequality, particularly because it cuts across other forms of inequality [37]. Different rules, norms and values govern the gender division of labour and the gender distribution of resources, responsibilities, agency and power. These are critical elements for understanding the nature of gender inequality in different societies." (25)

Topics: Civil Society, Agriculture, Development, Food Security, Gender, Women, Gendered Power Relations, Gender Equality/Inequality, Households, Livelihoods, NGOs, Rights, Land Rights, Women's Rights Regions: Africa, West Africa Countries: Nigeria

Year: 2009

Citation:

Izumi, Kaori. 2009. Reclaiming Rights - Reclaiming Livelihoods: A Brief on Secure Land and Property Rights for Women in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Era of AIDS. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization.

Author: Kaori Izumi

Abstract:

Secure property rights and sustainable means of livelihoods for women are pre-conditions for food security, poverty alleviation, HIV prevention and gender equality. Emergency support is urgently needed for women who have lost their property and are evicted from their homes.

Topics: Agriculture, Economies, Poverty, Food Security, Gender, Women, Gendered Power Relations, Gender Equality/Inequality, Health, HIV/AIDS, Rights, Land Rights, Property Rights, Women's Rights Regions: Africa

Year: 2009

Citation:

Miyasaka Porro, Noemi, and Joaquim Shiraishi Neto. 2014. “Coercive Harmony in Land Acquisition: The Gendered Impact of Corporate ‘Responsibility’ in the Brazilian Amazon.” Feminist Economics 20 (1): 227–48. 

Authors: Noemi Miyasaka Porro, Joaquim Shiraishi Neto

Abstract:

In rural development, women’s access to land is recognized as a condition for reaching gender equality. This contribution discusses the tension between this formal recognition and concrete realities in rural development for traditional Amazonian communities by examining large-scale land acquisitions in Brazil, a land-abundant developing country, in the wake of the 2007–08 global food price crises. This study applies anthropological and legal perspectives to analyze problems related to gender inequality caused by large-scale land acquisitions. It argues that inequalities cannot be resolved by simply changing regulations related to traditional communities’ and women’s rights and that gender relations and land tenure issues reflect interconnected social arrangements based on historical specificities of traditional communities. Case studies show that land acquisitions by outsiders disrupt these arrangements, despite stated commitments to social and environmental responsibility. Such “coercive harmony” is only unmasked when communities are conscious of their rights, enabling effective use of the legal apparatus.

Keywords: Gender, food security, land, development, Amazon

Topics: Development, Gender, Women, Gendered Power Relations, Gender Equality/Inequality, Land Tenure, Land Grabbing, Multi-National Corporations, Rights, Land Rights, Women's Rights, Food Security Regions: Americas, South America Countries: Brazil

Year: 2014

Citation:

Doss, Cheryl, Gale Summerfield, and Dzodzi Tsikata. 2014. “Land, Gender, and Food Security.” Feminist Economics 20 (1): 1–23. 

Authors: Cheryl Doss, Gale Summerfield, Dzodzi Tsikata

Abstract:

Since 2008, a surge in large-scale land acquisitions, or land grabs, has been taking place in low- and middle-income countries around the globe. This contribution examines the gendered effects of and responses to these deals, drawing on nine studies, which include conceptual framing essays that bring in debates about human rights, studies that draw on previous waves of land acquisitions globally, and case studies that examine the gendered dimensions of land dispossession and loss of common property. Three key insights emerge: the evolving gender and land tenure literature provides valuable information for understanding the likely effects of land deals; some of the land deal issues transcend gender-equity concerns and relate to broader problems of dispossession and loss of livelihoods; and huge gaps remain in our knowledge of gender and land rights that require urgent attention and systematic integration of gender analysis into mainstream research.

Keywords: Gender, land rights, land acquisition, food security, land grabs

Topics: Economies, Gender, Gender Analysis, Gendered Power Relations, Gender Equity, Land Tenure, Land Grabbing, Livelihoods, Rights, Human Rights, Land Rights, Security, Food Security

Year: 2014

Citation:

Fonjong, Lotsmart, Irene Sama-Lang, and Fombe Lawrence Fon. 2010. “An Assessment of the Evolution of Land Tenure System in Cameroon and Its Effects on Women’s Land Rights and Food Security.” Perspectives on Global Development and Technology 9 (1): 154–69. 

Authors: Lotsmart Fonjong, Irene Sama-Lang, Fombe Lawrence Fon

Abstract:

Cameroon land tenure policy has since pre-colonial times diverged with each passing administration. This change in land policies has effects on women’s rights to land and the ability of the country to feed itself and its neighbors. Women constitute the vast majority of small farmers who are mostly involved in the food production sector. They work on small parcels of land that are either leased to them or have been acquired through family bonds or purchase. Today, with increasing and competing demand for land from urbanization, urban services and infrastructural development, the contribution of rural women to food security hangs in the balance. The situation is further complicated by the current change in land ownership that de-emphasised communal land ownership in favor of private ownership. In the present context, food production is threatened, as land and women’s labor respectively, opt for other opportunities that offer higher rents and wages. 

This article explores the evolution of land tenure system in the context of women’s rights to land and their role in ensuring food security in Cameroon. It examines the emerging phenomenon of private land titles and farmer/grazier conflicts, which affect women’s farming activities and output in the face of land scarcity. We advocate for land policies and reforms that mainstream gender in an effort to affirm women’s rights and sustain women’s productive activities and food security in Cameroon.

Topics: Agriculture, Development, Gender, Women, Gender Mainstreaming, Land Tenure, Infrastructure, Livelihoods, Political Economies, Rights, Land Rights, Women's Rights, Food Security Regions: Africa, Central Africa Countries: Cameroon

Year: 2010

Citation:

Vivero Pol, Jose Luis. 1999. “Stable Instability of Displaced People in Western Georgia: A Food-Security and Gender Survey after Five Years.” Journal of Refugee Studies 12 (4): 349-66.

Author: Jose Luis Vivero Pol

Abstract:

The Caucasus is one of the most troubled hotspots in the world, with the Georgian—Abkhazian conflict already lasting seven years. In conflict between 1992 and 1998, more than 100,000 people have been displaced to western Georgia, many of them twice. The paper examines the way this exile has severely affected their gender roles in production activities, with the collapse of the Soviet Union exacerbating the situation. Displaced women have increasingly become main household income earners working in petty trade and agriculture, while displaced men have a reduced role and an apathetic response to the situation. The paper examines the main food sources, concluding that there is no lack of food availability or food access, and highlighting the importance of the kinship network between the host and displaced community. Finally guidelines for future programmes are suggested, with a recommendation to include projects targeting men.

Topics: Displacement & Migration, Food Security, Gender, Gender Roles, Households, Livelihoods Regions: Asia, Central Asia, Europe, South Caucasus Countries: Georgia

Year: 1999

Citation:

Rao, Nitya. 2006. “Land Rights, Gender Equality and Household Food Security: Exploring the Conceptual Links in the Case of India." Food Policy 31: 180-193.

Author: Nitya Rao

Abstract:

This paper seeks to critically examine the conceptual linkages between the issue of land rights for women, with household food security on the one hand and gender equality on the other. After a brief analysis of shifts in both international and national policy discourse and practice in terms of control over land as vital for food security, it seeks to analyse the implications of this for gender relations. The paper argues that in a context of diversified rural livelihoods, the contribution of agricultural production to household subsistence has been declining. This trend has been reinforced by a decline in public investment, stagnant growth and fluctuating prices for agricultural products. Men have been able to access the better paid, non-farm jobs, while leaving women behind to manage agricultural production. The renewed link between production and food security in agricultural policy has however meant allowing men not to have responsibility for household food security. While a right to land for women is a positive development, it appears also to be leading to an enhancement of work burdens, without much change in terms of status or decision-making authority.

Keywords: gender equality, land rights, household food security, gender relations, agricultural policies

Topics: Agriculture, Economies, Food Security, Gender, Women, Men, Gendered Power Relations, Gender Equality/Inequality, Households, Livelihoods, Rights, Land Rights, Women's Rights, Security Regions: Asia, South Asia Countries: India

Year: 2006